What should I do first when someone is hurt?
Make the scene safe, so there is no second victim. Shut off machinery, calm animals if you can, and keep bystanders back. Then call emergency services early and clearly, and do not wait to see if things improve.
Give the dispatcher your location in a way a stranger could follow, since farm addresses can be hard to find. Ask what to do while you wait and follow what they tell you.
If you are alone and hurt, call for help first if you can, and stay where you are unless you are in danger. Tell someone your plan each day when working alone, so a missed check-in raises the alarm.
- Shut off equipment and make the area safe
- Call emergency services without delay
- Give a clear location and landmarks
- Follow the dispatcher's instructions
How do I give a clear location from a farm?
Know your full address, the nearest crossroads and any gate or turnoff responders must take. If your driveway is long or hidden, send someone to meet and guide the ambulance.
Post the address and directions near the phone and in each building. Make sure the address sign at the road is visible in all weather, and ask your county about address marking rules.
- Post your address and directions in every building
- Mark your driveway entrance clearly
- Send someone to meet responders
- Share directions with family and workers
What first aid training do I need?
Take a first aid and CPR course from a recognized provider, and refresh it as required. Some extension, agricultural safety and rural health programs offer courses designed for farm situations.
General training prepares you for serious bleeding, burns, falls, and unresponsive patients, but this article is not medical advice. Use what you learned, call for help, and do not go beyond your training.
Training also builds calm. People who have practiced what to do tend to think more clearly when something goes wrong, which saves minutes that matter. Many courses are short and run at times that suit farm schedules.
- Take a first aid and CPR course
- Refresh training on schedule
- Look for farm-focused safety courses
- Do not go beyond what you were trained to do
What belongs in a farm first aid kit?
Agricultural safety programs publish checklists for farm first aid kits, and your extension office or a farm safety center can share one. Keep kits in the house, shop, barn and vehicles, and check them regularly for missing or expired items.
Keep a list of family medical information and emergency contacts with the kit. Teach everyone who works on the farm where the kits are and how to use what is in them.
- Use a published farm first aid kit checklist
- Keep kits in each building and vehicle
- Check contents and dates regularly
- Teach helpers where kits are kept
What about injuries from animals and machinery?
Animal and equipment injuries can be severe: crushing, kicks, bites, entanglement, falls and burns. Do not try to free someone caught in machinery by restarting or moving it, and call emergency services immediately. Shut off power only if you can do it safely.
Get medical attention for animal bites and for any hydraulic fluid injection, even if the injury looks minor. Contact a doctor about tetanus and other concerns, since these are medical questions.
Children and visitors need special attention. Keep them away from working machinery, livestock handling areas and storage of chemicals, and make sure older children know what to do and whom to call if an adult is hurt.
- Call emergency services for entanglement or crush injuries
- Do not restart machinery with someone caught
- Seek medical care for bites and fluid injection injuries
- Ask a doctor about tetanus protection
How do I plan ahead and recover afterward?
Write an emergency plan covering who calls, who meets responders, who cares for animals and who tells family. Practice it, and review it after any close call. Never work alone with hazardous tasks without a check-in system.
After an injury, review what happened with a clear head. Look for the hazard, such as a missing guard, poor lighting or hurry, and fix it. Ask your insurance agent about coverage, and consider asking your doctor or a rural health program about support after a hard event.
- Write and practice an emergency plan
- Use a check-in system when working alone
- Review incidents and fix the hazard
- Talk to a doctor or counselor if an event was upsetting
Key takeaways
- Make the scene safe, then call for help early.
- Know and post your location details for responders.
- Take first aid and CPR training, and keep kits in every building.
- Never try to free someone from machinery by restarting it.
- Plan, practice and fix hazards after any incident.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Homestead & Small Farm Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.