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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (703) 235-1452
They've battled mine fires, contained underground floods
and rescued their colleagues trapped beneath layers of rock or disoriented by
toxic gases. Mine rescue teams are highly trained specialists with skills that
enable them to save lives and recover mine property.
On Wednesday, July 19, these skills will be put to the
test. More than 30 teams representing Nevada and nine other states, Bosnia,
Canada, Mexico, Peru, Poland and Ukraine will compete in the 2000 National
and International Metal and Nonmetal Mine Rescue Competition at the Las Vegas
Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev. The all-day competition begins at 8
a.m.
This is only the second year in the contests history to
feature foreign teams. The contest is sponsored by the U.S. Department of
Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration.
"The men and women who serve on mine rescue teams truly are
a rare breed of people, Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman said. They practice
over and over again -- often on their own time -- in preparation for a disaster
they hope never occurs. When they compete in a rescue contest, they treat it
like the real thing.
Mine rescue competitions are designed to test the knowledge
of miners who might be called upon to respond to a real mine emergency. The
contest requires six-member teams to solve a hypothetical mine emergency
problem -- such as a fire, explosion or cave-in -- while judges rate them on
their adherence to mine rescue procedures and how quickly they complete
specific tasks.
MSHA also will host a series of technical sessions in order
that national and international teams may exchange information on mine rescue
training, equipment and technical support.
"The mining industry all around the globe faces safety and
health challenges," said J. Davitt McAteer, assistant secretary of labor for
mine safety and health. "These challenges are more difficult in some parts of
the world than in others. As all of us struggle to find ways to prevent mining
disasters, MSHA welcomes this opportunity to share our technical expertise with
other countries. The bottom line, of course, is that we all can learn from each
other."
In Thursdays phase of the competition, benchmen -- those
individuals charged with maintaining rescue equipment -- must thoroughly
inspect breathing devices that have been purposely tampered with and must
correct those defects as quickly as possible. In the first aid contest,
participants must demonstrate the correct method of caring for an injured
miner. Judges assess teams on proper application of skills according to the
fundamentals of first aid.
Mine rescue training began in the United States in 1910,
the year the U.S. Bureau of Mines was created. Joseph A. Holmes, the bureau's
first director, sought a training vehicle that would provide the mining
industry with a cadre of mine rescue specialists who would be prepared to
respond to mine disasters. The training efforts evolved into local and regional
competitions and, a year later, a national contest.
National Teams
Nevada
Barrick Goldstrike Mining, Meikle Mine (2
teams)
Bechtel V1A Shaft
Newmont Mining Corp., Deep Star, Deep Post,
Carlin East Mines
Morris Knudson, Yucca Mountain
Idaho
Central Mine Rescue Unit, Coeur Silver
Valley Mine
Kentucky
Dravo Lime Inc., Black River
Operation
Dravo Lime Inc., Maysville Mine
Louisiana
Cargill Salt, Avery Avery Island
Mine
IMC Salt Co., Cote Blanche Mine
Morton Salt Co., Weeks Island
Mine
Montana
Stillwater Mining Co., Nye
Operations
New Mexico
IMC Kalium, Carlsbad Mine
Molycorp, Inc., Molybdenum Group (2 teams)
Westinghouse WIPP, Waste
Isolation Pilot Plant (2 teams)
New York
Cargill, Inc., Cayuga Mine
Zinc
Corp. Of America, No. 4 Mine & Mill
Ohio
Cargill Salt, Cleveland Mine
Morton
Salt, Fairport Mine
Texas
Morton Salt, Grand Saline Mine
Wyoming
Solvay Minerals, Inc., Solvay Mine (2
teams)
General Chemical Corp., General Chemical Mine (2 teams)
FMC
Corp., FMC Mine (3 teams)
OCI of Wyoming, L.P., Big Island Mine
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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