About Safety First
Built by agricultural educators to make safety instruction easier, more consistent, and more effective.
Safety First was founded by Brian Alexander and Jonathan Grimes, who bring more than 45 years of combined teaching experience in agricultural education and agricultural mechanics.
Throughout their careers, they recognized the need for a simpler, more consistent way to teach and document safety in laboratories and hands-on learning environments.
Where the Idea Started
The idea for Safety First was born during the drive to the 2017 National Policy Seminar in Washington, D.C. After conversations with agricultural educators across the country, Brian and Jonathan found that many excellent teachers were entering the profession through alternative licensure pathways without formal training in agricultural mechanics or laboratory safety instruction.
Why Safety First Was Created
Safety First was created to help teachers confidently deliver high-quality safety instruction while reducing the time required to develop lessons, assessments, and documentation. The platform provides curriculum, instructional resources, assessments, videos, certificates, and student record management.
Jonathan Grimes
Jonathan Grimes earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Sciences from Virginia Tech with minors in Agricultural Education and Horticulture, followed by a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Radford
University. He participated in agricultural education programs for five years throughout middle and high school, where he developed a passion for carpentry, agricultural mechanics, and woodworking through agriculture and
industrial arts courses.
Brian Alexander
Brian Alexander is a first-generation cow-calf farmer and earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education from Virginia Tech. He participated in agricultural education programs for five years during middle and high school,
where he developed a passion for agricultural production and mechanics. Brian credits much of his mechanical knowledge to his father, who taught precision machining at the college level.
Our Mission
Brian and Jonathan believe in the importance of agricultural mechanics, hands-on learning, and safe laboratory instruction. Both have served as Presidents of the Virginia Association of Agricultural Educators and are committed to strengthening agricultural education and career and technical education programs across the country.