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Jun
11
Written by:
news editor
6/11/2012 1:00 AM
Ohio hosted the 31st annual Ohio Valley Mine Rescue Post 6 regional mine safety competition at the Jerry L. Stewart Ohio Mine Safety Training Center in Harrison County last week.
CADIZ, OH — Ohio hosted the 31st annual Ohio Valley Mine Rescue Post 6 regional mine safety competition at the Jerry L. Stewart Ohio Mine Safety Training Center in Harrison County last week, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Mineral Resources Management.
This regional competition drew 33 teams representing mining operators in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia. For the first time since 1999 an Ohio team—Ohio Valley Coal Company—took top honors for their mine rescue skills.
“We were pleased to host the Ohio Valley Mine Rescue contest at our Cadiz facility for the third year; it’s a great opportunity for Ohio’s mine rescue teams,” said Division of Mineral Resources Management Chief Lanny Erdos. “It was especially gratifying to honor the Ohio Valley Coal Company’s Powhatan No. 6 Mine team with a first place ranking.”
Six Ohio teams participated this year; an additional two teams placed in the mine rescue competition’s top 10. American Energy’s Century Red team placed sixth and the team from Hopedale Mining placed ninth.
Each mine rescue team consists of seven members; six rescue workers head into a mine while one serves as the briefing officer outside of the mine. Generally, a rescue team’s first priority is team safety, followed by victim assessment and rescue.
Teams were tested in a variety of activities including mine rescue, breathing apparatus troubleshooting, first aid and pre-shift contests which tested mining officials in identifying hazards before mining begins. The event is coordinated by the National Mine Rescue Association’s Post 6 region.
“ODNR’s facility allows the competition to offer teams realistic and challenging mine rescue simulations,” said Ron Glasgow, president of Post 6. “ODNR’s facility allows us to better train our miners for mine emergencies, and we appreciate its availability to other mine rescue teams.”
The facility has two 158’x 200’ simulated mines that provide an opportunity to offer critical hands-on training. There are also four classrooms, which allow ODNR staff to conduct informative training sessions regarding the Ohio mining industry and mining safety. Additionally, the site is home base for one of the division’s four mine rescue stations which house the equipment needed to respond to underground mining emergencies.
Regional mine safety competitions help develop and test the skills of mine rescue teams by using simulated mine emergency conditions, such as those found at the simulated mines set up at ODNR’s facility. Competition judges include officials from U.S. Department of Labor, West Virginia Office Miners Health, Safety and Training, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and ODNR.
The ODNR Division of Mineral Resources Management provides for the safe and environmentally sound development and restoration of mineral extraction sites. For more information, visit www.ohiodnr.com.
 After 13 years since an Ohio team has won this competition, the team from Ohio Valley Coal Company’s Powhatan No. 6 mine, located in Alledonia, ranked first place out of 33 teams representing mine sites in four states.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: More photos available upon request – please send request to heidi.evans@dnr.state.oh.us)
For more information, contact:
Craig Corder, ODNR Mineral Resources Management
740-942-9150 x102
Heidi Hetzel-Evans, ODNR Office of Communications
614-265-6520
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