PEABODY’S North Wambo team were the overall winners for a sixth year in-a-row at the 31st annual Hunter Valley underground Mines Rescue competition on Friday.
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The event was held at the Hunter Valley Mines Rescue facility in Singleton Heights where emergency response teams can measure their performance in a realistic, but safe, work environment.
Six teams, including two composite teams, battled it out for the coveted title this year.
Each was put through five different active rescue scenarios which focused on possible emergency situations.
These included exercises in fire fighting, search and rescue, extrications (involving trapped miners) and applying first aid. Theory and individual practical skills were also assessed.
Judges followed the brigadesmen through the scenario’s looking for competency in a number of situations and how efficiently they could respond to each task.
The Wambo team will now go onto to the Australian competition at the end of October this year being held in Queensland.
The Hunter Valley coal mining industry supports the competition because it allows Brigadesmen from underground mines further training for potential real life emergencies.
“This is a great opportunity for competitors to seek feedback on their individual and team performance,” Hunter Valley Mines Rescue manager David Connell said.
“These simulated scenarios replicate the stress and pressure of a real life disaster, the design is as realistic as possible with even the same kind of airflow pumped into the building to simulate an underground mine environment.
“They like to win this competition and they aren’t here getting paid it’s about their passion for keeping their fellow miners safe out on the job.”
Managing Director/CEO Coal Services, Lucy Flemming said the role of Coal Services is to continually work with industry to improve health and safety.
“We have seen a significant reduction in injuries and mine emergencies over the last 30 years and continue towards the collective goal of zero harm,” she said.
It’s our responsibility to have brigadesmen all trained up and response ready.
Brigadesmen enter their role voluntarily and have to train six days a year to maintain their skills, around one in 20 underground miners have to be trained as brigadesmen which requires them to pass a 10 day intensive induction and six days of annual training thereafter.
