SUDBURY, ONT. — Over 20 mine rescue teams across Ontario are gearing up to compete at the official competitions which will demonstrate the emergency response skills and knowledge of volunteers from mines across the province.
Organized by Ontario Mine Rescue (OMR), a part of Workplace Safety North (WSN), the competition will take place May 8 to 10.
Headquartered in Sudbury, Ont. OMR staffs, equips and maintains a network of mine rescue stations across the province that ensure mines within a specified geographic area have adequate emergency response capability.
The competition involves creating simulated underground emergencies where teams are evaluated on firefighting skills, first-aid response, use of emergency equipment and decision-making ability under stress.
It extends to a written theory exam and an assessment of technicians who service vital emergency response equipment.
Overall, competitions serve as intensive and educational learning opportunities for the teams, which ensures performance standards are maintained across the board, a release indicates.
The winner of each district will compete in the 2024 provincial competition, June 4 to 7 at Fort Williams Gardens Arena in Thunder Bay.
Competitions will take place in:
- Red Lake and Thunder Bay districts: NorWest Recreation Center, Kakabeka Falls, May 9
- Algoma District: Michipicoten Memorial CC, Wawa, May 8 and 9
- Southern District: Hagersville Memorial Arena, Hagersville, May 9
- Technicians, Best Western Hotel, Brantford, May 8
- Sudbury and Onaping districts: Dr. Edgar Leclair Arena, Azilda
- Sudbury District, May 8
- Onaping District, May 9
- Timmins and Kirkland Lake districts: Kirkland Lake Community Complex, Kirkland Lake
- Kirkland Lake, May 8
- Timmins, May 9
“We’re always finding new ways to challenge the teams,” said Shawn Rideout, chief mine rescue officer at WSN, in a statement. “The scenarios go from extracting casualties trapped in collapses to descending a mine shaft with rope gear. These live-action experiences are the best way to put their knowledge to the test.”
Recent Comments