Twelve regional mine rescue teams will compete against one another during the Post 5 mine rescue contest July 28-29 at Camp Dawson in Kingwood.
In the contest, mine rescue teams vie to be the best at demonstrating their problem-solving skills during a simulated mine emergency.
The West Virginia University College of Engineering and Mineral Resources’Mining Extension Service Post 5, U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration District 3 and West Virginia Office of Miners’Health, Safety and Training are sponsors.
Four events �€the mine rescue contest, bench contest, first aid contest and the pre-shift examiner’s contest �€are scheduled.
Registration for the mine rescue contest will be from 6-7 a.m. Wednesday, July 28, in the Camp Dawson Armory, with the contest starting at 8 a.m. on the Mine Rescue Field. The bench contest begins at 8 a.m. Thursday, July 29, in the R.C.B. Building, Rooms 17-19. The first-aid contest gets under way at 9 a.m. Thursday, July 29, in the R.C.B. Building, Room 16. The pre-shift examiner’s contest begins at 8 a.m. Thursday, July 29, on the Mine Rescue Field.
The mine rescue event tests the rescue teams’ability to evaluate an emergency situation and rescue any surviving miners in an underground coal mine. In the bench contest, a benchman, usually a rescue team member, corrects problems with a self-contained breathing apparatus worn by miners when they go underground. The pre-shift examiner’s event tests contestants’proficiency in surveying a mine’s condition before workers enter it.
Rescue teams are assigned the same emergency problem to solve and judged on their procedures and speed. Teams are sequestered in the Camp Dawson Armory until it is their turn to compete.
An awards ceremony will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 29, at Camp Dawson pavilion and Building 202.
MINE RESCUE PARTICIPANTS
Mine Rescue Contest (12 teams): Consol, Blacksville No. 2, Wana, W.Va.; Consol Pa. Coal Co., Bailey, West Finley, Pa.; Consol Energy, Enlow Fork Mine, West Finley, Pa.; Consol Energy, McElroy Mine, Wilkesville, Ohio; Consol Energy, Robinson Run No. 95, Rivesville, W.Va.; Eastern Associated Coal Corp., Federal No. 2 Team, Fairview, W.Va.; Eastern Associated Coal Corp., Southern Appalachia, Wharton, W.Va.; Eighty Four Mining Co., Mine 84, Washington, Pa.; Consolidated Coal Co., Shoemaker Mine, Dallas, W.Va.; Consolidated Coal Co., Loveridge No. 22, Fairview, W.Va.; RAG Emerald Resources, Emerald Mine No. 1, Waynesburg, Pa.; Mingo Logan Coal Co., Mountaineer Team, Wharncliffe, W.Va.
Bench Contest (14 entrants): Dave Blankenship, Eastern Associated Coal Corp., Southern Appalachia, Wharton, W.Va.; Tom Bochna, RAG Emerald Resources, RAG Emerald Mine No. 1 Mine Rescue, Waynesburg, Pa.; Randy Bombach, Consol Energy, Enlow Fork Mine, West Finley, Pa.; Bob Calhoun, Consol Pa. Coal Co., Bailey, Graysville, Pa.; Emmitt Cox, RAG Emerald Resources, RAG Emerald Mine No. 1 Mine Rescue, Waynesburg, Pa.; Bernie Geisel, Consol Energy, Enlow Fork Mine, West Finley, Pa.; Smokey Goodwin, Robinson Run No. 95, Fairmont, 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, Graysville, Pa.; Harry Powell, RAG Cumberland Resources, Cumberland Resources Mine Rescue, Waynesburg, Pa.; Danny Rush, Consol, Blacksville No. 2 Mine, Wana, W.Va.; Bob Volpe, Eighty Four Mining Company, Mine 84, Eighty Four, Pa.
First Aid Contest (5 entrants): John Sabo, Eastern Associated Coal Corp., Federal No. 2 Team, Fairview, W.Va.; Jackie Repass, Eastern Associated Coal Corp., Southern Appalachia, Wharton, W.Va.; Harvey Ferrell, Eastern Associated Coal Corp., Southern Appalachia, Wharton, W.Va.; Rick Matheney, Eastern Associated Coal Corp., Federal No. 2 Team, Fairview, W.Va.; Danny Spratt, Eastern Associated Coal Corp., Southern Appalachia, Wharton, W.Va.
Pre-Shift Contest (13 entrants): Jim Ponceroff, Consol, Blacksville No. 2 Mine, Wana, W.Va.; Robert Brown, Eastern Associated Coal Corp., Federal No. 2 Team, Fairview, W.Va.; Mark Gouzd, Eastern Associated Coal Corp., Federal No. 2 Team, Fairview, W.Va.; Kelvin Jolly, Consol Energy, McElroy Mine, Wilkesville, Ohio; Dale Tiberie, Eighty Four Mining Company, Mine 84, Eighty Four, Pa.; David Belcher, Eastern Associated Coal Corp., Southern Appalachia, Wharton, W.Va.; Wayne Stafford, Eastern Associated Coal Corp., Southern Appalachia, Wharton, W.Va.; Bob Haines, Consolidated Coal Co., Shoemaker Mine, Dallas, W.Va.; Larry Cuddy, Consol Pa. Coal Co., Bailey, West Finley, Pa.; Ted Hunt, Consolidated Coal Co., Shoemaker Mine, Dallas, W.Va.; Bill Reid, Consol Energy, Inc. Robinson Run No. 95, Rivesville, W.Va.; Jim Aurednik, Massey Energy, Southern West VirginiaTeam, Sylvester, W.Va.; Shane McPherson, Massey Energy, Southern West Virginia Team, Sylvester, W.Va.