9 Teams Take Part in Mine Rescue Competition

Pictured: Pocahontas United Coal - The competition challenged teams to use skills and technology to solve a rescue scenario within a 70-minute time limit.

By Charlie Boothe Bluefield Daily Telegraph 19 May 2018

BLUEFIELD — The Wellmore Coal Company Red team took first place at the 12th annual Mine Rescue competition, held at Bluefield State College Saturday.

Nine of the region’s mine rescue teams competed.

Resources Southern WV Team #1 took second place, and the Buchanan Minerals Black team took third place.

Other teams competing included Alpha Natural Resources Southern WV #2, the Buchanan Red team, Southern Pocahontas Apache team, Pocahontas Mine Rescue-United Coal, Greenbrier Minerals-Central Appalachian, and the Nicholas Contura team.

The contest took place on the June O. Shott Field at BSC, with representatives of the Mine Safety and Health Administration operating an on-site command center that responded to the scenario as if it were a real incident.

Team members in the command center maintained constant communication with their teammates on the field, digitally mapping the course and recording real-time gas readings as those on the field advanced through the problem.

Developed by the Welch Post #1 known as the “Smoke Eaters” of the National Mine Rescue Association, the competition challenged teams to use skills and technology to solve a rescue scenario within a 70-minute time limit.

The team finishing the course in the shortest time with the fewest mistakes wins the challenge.

The competition is hosted at BSC and sponsored by Brick Street Insurance, the Welch Post#1 Smoke Eaters and the Center for Applied Research and Technology, Inc., (CART). 

— Contact Charles Boothe at [email protected]