West Virginia University’s Academy for Mine Training and Energy Technology will host six teams from Murray Energy Corporation in the company’s annual fire brigade competition on Friday, Sept. 20, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The competition will be held at WVU’s simulated mine training facility at Dolls Run in Monongalia County.

Three teams from last year’s competition—Ohio Valley Coal Company, Powhatan No. 6 Mine, representing the Eastern division; The American Coal Company, New Future Mine, representing the Midwestern division; and Utah American Energy, West Ridge Mine, representing the Western division—will be competing again this year. Joining them will be ACC’s New Era Mine, also in the Midwest division, and Kentucky’s Paradise Mine, run by Ken American Resources, Inc., and Ohio’s Century Mine, run by American Energy Corporation, in the Eastern division. Eighteen teams company-wide competed for the right to participate in the competition. Monetary prizes will be awarded to the winners.

The competition will consist of five components. First will be an examination on the self-contained breathing apparatus. Secondly, the teams will compete in a search-and-find mapping and navigation exercise. Third will be a physical challenge, where competitors will don firefighting gear and SCBAs to push, drag and carry fire rescue equipment and dummies over a set distance for time. A live interior firefighting exercise in the simulated mine is next. Lastly, the teams will compete in an air management obstacle course.

“Uncontrolled mine fires have yielded many fatalities over the years, and they will ultimately close an operation,” said Josh Caldwell, an extension agent with WVU’s Department of Mining and Industrial Extension. “Although fire brigades are above and beyond what the law requires by way of fire protection training, mine operators like Murray Energy realize the benefit to investing time and resources into training these specialized groups. They have proven beneficial by extinguishing fires at Murray operations in the past, thus saving the operation, workers’ lives, their wages and benefits. It is commendable to see this kind of commitment to fire protection by a coal operator.”

All components of the competition will be presided over by WVU Mining Extension agents and Murray Energy corporate and mine management personnel.

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CONTACT: Mary C. Dillon, Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources 304.293.4086

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