RENO, Nev. – In the event of a mine fire, roof collapse or explosion, mine rescue teams may be tapped to search for colleagues disoriented by toxic gas, trapped beneath layers of rock or severely injured. The teams undergo rigorous training to develop skills that often save lives. Those skills will be put to the test July 27 through 29 at the 2010 Metal/Nonmetal National Mine Rescue Contest, held at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center in Reno, Nevada. The contest is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration and will feature 38 teams from 16 states, including eight teams from Nevada.
"Mine rescue teams are essential to the safety and health of our nation's miners," said Joseph A. Main, assistant secretary of labor for MSHA. "They spend countless hours preparing for an emergency they hope never happens and they hold themselves to the highest standards, even in competition." The contest consists of several events. In the field competition, teams must navigate through a simulated mine emergency while judges rate them on how well they adhere to mine rescue procedures and how quickly they complete specific tasks. In the first aid contest, emergency medical technicians tackle real-life scenarios. The technician team must make necessary checks of equipment to see that it works properly, including multi-gas instruments, self-contained breathing apparatuses, portable communication systems, and other available mine rescue equipment and supplies.
At the conclusion of the three-day event, an awards banquet will be held Thursday evening at the Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno.
Following this release is a complete list of competing mine rescue teams.
To see photographs and contest winners, go to http://www.msha.gov/MineRescue/CONTEST/2010MNM/2010HOME.asp.
COMPANY NAME TEAM NAME MINE NAME CITY ST American Gilsonite Co.
American Gilsonite American Gilsonite Co.
Bonanza Utah Barrick Gold Barrick Cortez Barrick Cortez Crescent Valley Nev.
Barrick Gold Corp.
Turquoise Ridge Team #2 Turquoise Ridge Joint Venture Golconda Nev.
Barrick Gold Corp.
Turquoise Ridge Team #1 Turquoise Ridge Joint Venture Golconda Nev.
Barrick Goldstrike BGMI Team 1 Goldstrike Elko Nev.
Barrick Goldstrike BGMI Team 2 Goldstrike Elko Nev.
Cargill Deicing Technology Salty Cajuns Avery Island Mine Avery Island La.
Cargill Deicing Technology Team Cayuga Cayuga Mine Lansing N.Y.
Cargill Deicing Technology Whiskey Island Cleveland Mine Cleveland Ohio Carmeuse Lime and Stone Maysville Raiders Maysville Operation Maysville Ky.
Carmeuse Lime and Stone Black River Bandits Butler Ky.
Climax Molybdenum - Henderson Operations Henderson Mine Rescue Henderson Mine Empire Colo.
FMC FMC White Team FMC 8 Shaft Green River Wyo.
FMC FMC Red Team FMC 8 Shaft Green River Wyo.
General Chemical (Soda Ash) Partners General Chemical Black Team General Chemical Mine Green River Wyo.
General Chemical (Soda Ash) Partners General Chemical Blue Team General Chemical Mine Green River Wyo.
Great Basin Gold Hollister Mine Rescue Hollister Mine Winnemucca Nev.
Hecla Limited Lucky Friday Lucky Friday Mullan Idaho Hecla Mining Co.
Hecla Greens Creek Greens Creek Juneau Ark.
Hutchinson Salt Co.
Hutchinson Salt Co.
Hutchinson Kan.
Intrepid Potash, New Mexico LLC Blue Team - Intrepid Intrepid Potash Carlsbad N.M.
Kinross Gold Corp.
Kettle River-Buckhorn Buckhorn Mine Republic Wash.
Morton Salt Team Texas Kleer Mine Grand Saline Texas Morton Salt Co.
Weeks Island Mine Rescue Weeks Island New Iberia La.
Mosaic Potash Carlsbad Inc.
Mosaic Black Team Mosaic Carlsbad Carlsbad N.M.
Mosaic Potash Carlsbad Inc.
Mosaic White Team Mosaic Carlsbad Carlsbad N.M.
Newmont Mining Newmont Carlin Carlin Elko Nev.
Newmont Mining Newmont Midas Midas Elko Nev.
OCI Wyoming L.P.
OCI Blue Big Island Mine Green River Wyo.
OCI Wyoming L.P.
OCI White Big Island Mine Green River Wyo.
SMM Pogo LLC Pogo Mine Rescue Pogo Mine Delta Jct.
Ark.
Solvay Chemicals Inc.
Solvay Chemicals Blue Solvay Chemicals Green River Wyo.
Solvay Chemicals Inc.
Solvay Chemicals Silver Solvay Chemicals Green River Wyo.
The DOE Run Co.
Doe Run Maroon SEMO Viburnum Mo.
The DOE Run Co.
Doe Run Grey SEMO Viburnum Mo.
Vulcan Materials Vulcan Blue Bolingbrook Underground Naperville Ill.
Washington TRU-Solutions WIPP Red Team Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Carlsbad N.M.
Washington TRU-Solutions WIPP Blue Team Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Carlsbad N.M.
