Geospatial Agricultural Incident Analysis for the State of Indiana

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Safety
• Geospatial Analysis
• Emergency Medical Services

Background:

• Agricultural work presents unique risks, with isolated incidents often posing challenges for victims to contact emergency medical services (EMS).
• Effective communication is crucial for timely medical intervention, especially for individuals working alone in remote agricultural settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the spatial relationship between agricultural-related injuries/fatalities in Indiana and the proximity of cellular towers and EMS.
• To identify potential barriers to emergency communication for agricultural incident victims.

Main Methods:

• Geographic Information System (GIS) software (ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online) was used for spatial analysis.
• 29 agricultural incidents in Indiana were analyzed for their proximity to cellular towers and EMS using 5 and 10-mile spatial joins.
• Incident locations were overlaid on a digital elevation map (DEM) to assess elevation's impact on cell tower accessibility.

Main Results:

• Most analyzed incidents were located with no cellular towers within a 5-mile radius and only one tower within 10 miles.
• Typically, only one EMS provider was found within a 5-mile radius of an incident, increasing to seven within 10 miles.
• Elevation was analyzed in relation to cell tower availability, though specific findings on this relationship were not detailed.

Conclusions:

• Findings indicate significant spatial gaps in cellular coverage and EMS accessibility for agricultural incidents in Indiana.
• These communication and response limitations can critically delay assistance for injured agricultural workers.
• The geospatial analysis methods used can be adapted by other regions to evaluate rural emergency response capabilities and improve agricultural incident reporting.