Sunday, August 31, 2008
Mine Rescue Squad Competition.
Forty-three mine rescue teams demonstrated their skills and knowledge before judges at the 53rd annual West Virginia State Mine Rescue Contest this week in Beckley, W.Va. Although this was a competition, the teams’ ultimate goals were to improve and strengthen their skills and learn how to be more efficient as a group, in the event they have to respond to a mine emergency.
Sponsored by the Southern West Virginia Mine Rescue Association and the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training, teams from West Virginia, Kentucky, Alabama, Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Illinois competed in the four-day event.
Teams demonstrated problem-solving skills during a simulated mine emergency, and were judged on procedure and speed. Other events included rescuing surviving miners, repairing life-saving breathing apparatuses and applying first aid.
State law requires mine rescue teams to train a minimum of 96 hours annually, including four hours of training each month or eight hours every two months, including sessions underground at least once every six months. In addition, teams are required to participate in two competitions per year. West Virginia currently has 26 mine rescue teams.
Awards were given to the following teams at a Thursday night banquet.
Mine rescue competition
Grand Champion: Eastern Associated Coal LLC, Federal No. 2, Fairview, WV
Day 1
First place: Eastern Associated Coal LLC, Federal No. 2, Fairview, WV Second place: Patriot Coal, Southern Appalachian Operations, Wharton, WV Third place: Patriot Coal, Magnum A Team, Madison, WV
Day 2
First place: Eastern Associated Coal, Federal No. 2, Fairview, WV Second place: Patriot Coal, Southern Appalachian Operations, Wharton, WV Third place: Cleveland Cliffs, Pinnacle Team, Pineville, WV
First aid competition
State Champion: John Sabo, Eastern Associated Coal LLC, Federal No. 2, Fairview, WV First place: Jerry Hedgepath, Warrior Coal LLC, Cardinal Team, Madisonville, KY Second place: John Sabo, Eastern Associated Coal LLC, Federal No. 2, Fairview, WV Third place: Tim Fleeman, Eastern Associated Coal LLC, Federal No. 2, Fairview, WV
Combination mine rescue and first aid overall results State Champion: John Sabo, Eastern Associated Coal LLC, Federal No. 2, Fairview, WV First place: John Sabo, Eastern Associated Coal LLC, Federal No. 2, Fairview, WV Second place: Travis Lett, Patriot Coal, Southern Appalachian Operations, Wharton, WV Third place: Kevin Vaughn, Warrior Coal LLC, Cardinal Team, Madisonville, KY
Bench (BG4) competition
State champion: Jeremy McClung, Massey Energy, Southern WV, Sylvester First place: Scottie Cagle, Chevron Mining Inc., North River Mine Blue Team, Berry, AL Second place: Jeremy McClung, Massey Energy, Southern WV, Sylvester Third place: David Blankenship, Patriot Coal, Southern Appalachian Operations, Wharton, WV
Bench BioPak (240S) competition
State champion: George Gibson, ICG, Beckley/Pocahontas, Philippi, WV First place: Mark Lloyd, Patriot Coal, Bluegrass Mine Rescue Team, Henderson, KY Second place: Bradford Calisle, Highland Mining Company, Highland No. 9 Mine, Morganfield, KY Third place: Dwight Baker, Patriot Coal, Bluegrass Mine Rescue Team, Henderson, KY
Bench BioPak (240R) competition
State champion: Mark Rinchich, Patriot Coal, Magnum A Team, Madison, WV First place: Mark Wrinchich, Patriot Coal, Magnum A Team, Madison, WV Second place: Shawn Smith, Patriot Coal, Magnum A Team, Madison, WV Third place: Thad Williams, Patriot Coal, Magnum A Team, Madison, WV
Pre-shift competition
State champion: Mike Vaught, Massey Energy, Southern WV, Sylvester First place: Mike Vaught, Massey Energy, Southern WV, Sylvester Second place: Charles Conn, Massey Energy, Eastern KY Team, Sydney KY Third place: Mark Gouzd, Eastern Associated Coal LLC, Federal No. 2, Fairview, WV
Sponsored by the Southern West Virginia Mine Rescue Association and the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training, teams from West Virginia, Kentucky, Alabama, Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Illinois competed in the four-day event.
Teams demonstrated problem-solving skills during a simulated mine emergency, and were judged on procedure and speed. Other events included rescuing surviving miners, repairing life-saving breathing apparatuses and applying first aid.
State law requires mine rescue teams to train a minimum of 96 hours annually, including four hours of training each month or eight hours every two months, including sessions underground at least once every six months. In addition, teams are required to participate in two competitions per year. West Virginia currently has 26 mine rescue teams.
Awards were given to the following teams at a Thursday night banquet.
Mine rescue competition
Grand Champion: Eastern Associated Coal LLC, Federal No. 2, Fairview, WV
Day 1
First place: Eastern Associated Coal LLC, Federal No. 2, Fairview, WV Second place: Patriot Coal, Southern Appalachian Operations, Wharton, WV Third place: Patriot Coal, Magnum A Team, Madison, WV
Day 2
First place: Eastern Associated Coal, Federal No. 2, Fairview, WV Second place: Patriot Coal, Southern Appalachian Operations, Wharton, WV Third place: Cleveland Cliffs, Pinnacle Team, Pineville, WV
First aid competition
State Champion: John Sabo, Eastern Associated Coal LLC, Federal No. 2, Fairview, WV First place: Jerry Hedgepath, Warrior Coal LLC, Cardinal Team, Madisonville, KY Second place: John Sabo, Eastern Associated Coal LLC, Federal No. 2, Fairview, WV Third place: Tim Fleeman, Eastern Associated Coal LLC, Federal No. 2, Fairview, WV
Combination mine rescue and first aid overall results State Champion: John Sabo, Eastern Associated Coal LLC, Federal No. 2, Fairview, WV First place: John Sabo, Eastern Associated Coal LLC, Federal No. 2, Fairview, WV Second place: Travis Lett, Patriot Coal, Southern Appalachian Operations, Wharton, WV Third place: Kevin Vaughn, Warrior Coal LLC, Cardinal Team, Madisonville, KY
Bench (BG4) competition
State champion: Jeremy McClung, Massey Energy, Southern WV, Sylvester First place: Scottie Cagle, Chevron Mining Inc., North River Mine Blue Team, Berry, AL Second place: Jeremy McClung, Massey Energy, Southern WV, Sylvester Third place: David Blankenship, Patriot Coal, Southern Appalachian Operations, Wharton, WV
Bench BioPak (240S) competition
State champion: George Gibson, ICG, Beckley/Pocahontas, Philippi, WV First place: Mark Lloyd, Patriot Coal, Bluegrass Mine Rescue Team, Henderson, KY Second place: Bradford Calisle, Highland Mining Company, Highland No. 9 Mine, Morganfield, KY Third place: Dwight Baker, Patriot Coal, Bluegrass Mine Rescue Team, Henderson, KY
Bench BioPak (240R) competition
State champion: Mark Rinchich, Patriot Coal, Magnum A Team, Madison, WV First place: Mark Wrinchich, Patriot Coal, Magnum A Team, Madison, WV Second place: Shawn Smith, Patriot Coal, Magnum A Team, Madison, WV Third place: Thad Williams, Patriot Coal, Magnum A Team, Madison, WV
Pre-shift competition
State champion: Mike Vaught, Massey Energy, Southern WV, Sylvester First place: Mike Vaught, Massey Energy, Southern WV, Sylvester Second place: Charles Conn, Massey Energy, Eastern KY Team, Sydney KY Third place: Mark Gouzd, Eastern Associated Coal LLC, Federal No. 2, Fairview, WV
# posted by Joe Kinzer @ 7:28 AM 
