Fourteen regional mine rescue teams will compete in the Post 5 mine rescue contest Aug. 15-16 at West Virginia University. Competition will take place at WVU s Shell Building and Rugby Field beside the Coliseum.

In the contest, mine rescue teams vie to be the best at demonstrating their problem-solving skills during a simulated mine emergency. The five top teams compete on the second day, working on another mine rescue problem. The winner of the contest will be the team with the lowest score competing on the second day.

WVU s College of Engineering and Mineral ResourcesMining Extension Service Post 5, the U.S. Labor Departments Mine Safety and Health Administration District 3 and the West Virginia Office of MinersHealth, Safety and Training are sponsors.

Two eventsthe mine rescue contest and the bench contestare scheduled. Registration for the mine rescue contest will be from 6-7 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 15, in the Shell Building, with the contest starting at 8 a.m. at Rugby Field. The bench contest starts at 8 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 16, in the Coliseum, and the final five mine rescue team contest will begin at 7 a.m. on Rugby Field.

The mine rescue event tests the rescue teamsability to evaluate an emergency situation and rescue any surviving miners in an underground coal mine. In the bench contest, the benchman, usually a rescue team member, repairs a self-contained breathing apparatus worn by rescue team members to allow them to breathe in contaminated air.

Rescue teams are assigned the same emergency problem to solve and judged on their procedures and speed. The teams are sequestered until it is their turn to compete.

An awards ceremony will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16, at Halleck Volunteer Fire Department.

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* * MINE RESCUE CONTEST PARTICIPANTS *

* *Mine Rescue Contest (14 teams)

• Consol, Blacksville No. 2 Team, Wana, W.Va.; Consol Pa. Coal Co., Bailey, New Stanton, Pa.

• Consol Pa. Coal Co., Enlow Fork Mine, West Finley, Pa.

• Consolidation Coal Co., Dilworth Mine, Rices Landing, Pa.

• Consolidated Coal Co., Shoemaker, St. Clairsville, Ohio

• Eastern Associated Coal Corp., Federal No. 2 Team, Fairview, W.Va.

• Eastern Associated Coal Corp., Southern Appalachia, Twilight, W.Va.

• Island Creek Coal Co., Island Creek, W.Va.

• Massey Energy (Elk Run Coal Co.), Elk Run Team, Sylvester, W.Va.

• MINGO Logan Coal Co., Mountaineer, Wharncliffe, W.Va.

• RAG Cumberland Resources, Cumberland Resources Mine Rescue, Waynesburg, Pa.

• RAG Cumberland Resources, Emerald Team, Waynesburg, Pa.

• Southern Ohio Coal Co., Meigs Division, Athens, Ohio

• U.S. Steel Mining Co., L.L.C., Pinnacle, Pineville, W.Va.

* *Bench Contest (15 entrants) *

• Dave Blankenship, Eastern Associated Coal Corp., Southern Appalachia, Twilight, W.Va.

• Tom Bochna, RAG Cumberland Resources, Emerald Team, Waynesburg, Pa.

• Randy Bombach,, Consol Pa. Coal Co., Enlow Fork Mine, West Finley, Pa.

• Willie Bowman, Southern Ohio Coal Co., Meigs Division, Athens, Ohio

• John Click, Massey Energy (Elk Run Coal Co.), Elk Run Team, Sylvester, W.Va.

• Emmitt Cox, RAG Cumberland Resources, Cumberland Resources Mine Rescue, Waynesburg, Pa.

• Steve Gravley, Consolidation Coal Co., Dilworth Mine, Rices Landing, Pa.

• Eric Gryszka, Southern Ohio Coal Co., Meigs Division, Athens, Ohio

• Larry Hedrick, U.S. Steel Mining Co., Pinnacle, Pineville, W.Va.

• Rob Hutchison, RAG Cumberland Resources, Cumberland Resources Mine Rescue, Waynesburg, Pa.

• Bill McLaughlin, RAG Cumberland Resources, Cumberland Resources Mine Rescue, Waynesburg, Pa.

• Harry McGinnis, Eastern Associated Coal Corp., Federal No. 2 Team, Fairview, W.Va.

• Gene Menozzi, Consol Pa. Coal Co., Bailey, New Stanton, Pa.

• Harry Powell, RAG Cumberland Resources, Cumberland Resources Mine Rescue, Waynesburg, Pa.

• Danny Rush, Consol Pa. Coal Co., Bailey, New Stanton, Pa.