Kimberley successfully hosted the Provincial Mine Rescue and First Aid Competition for the second year in a row this past weekend. The competition featured zone competition on Thursday, June 8 at the Teck site on Jim Ogilvie Way and provincials on Saturday, June 10 at Centennial Park. Teams competed in a variety of competitions, including live rescue scenarios and written tests.
On Saturday evening, over 450 people attended the awards banquet at the Kimberley Conference Centre, where awards were distributed.
The following is a complete list of winners, including three from the local Sullivan Mine team. Although the Sullivan Mine closed in 2001, they do keep a reclamation office in Kimberley and try to field a team in competition when they can.
SURFACE RESULTS
June 10, 2017
Jerrold Jewsbury, Chief Judge
Three Person First Aid BEST 3 Person F/A Team – Coal Mountain (Teck)
Kathie Lofstrom Memorial Trophy Best 3 Person F/A – Coach Josh Gallinger
Ron Brown Memorial Award Best Surface Extrication – Red Chris
Maurice Boisse Memorial Trophy Best Practical Bench -Skills Highland Valley Copper (Teck)
Levitt Fire Trophy Best Fire – Highland Valley Copper (Teck)
EKMISA Trophy Best Written – Highland Valley Copper (Teck)
EKMISA Mine Rescue Memorial Trophy Best Team Rope Task – Greenhills (Teck)
HVC Highest Non-Aggregate Points Trophy Highest Points (Non-Aggregate) – Greenhills (Teck)
Overall Surface Mine Rescue Winner Highest Aggregate
BEST OVERALL – Greenhills (Teck)
UNDERGROUND RESULTS
June 10, 2017
Al Day/Doran Jones – Chief Judges
Bench Technician Trophy (Individual Trophy) Sullivan: Dave Heathfield
U.S.W.A Mine-Mill Trophy Best Coordinator Score
(Individual Trophy)New Afton: Jared Moe
Richard Booth Award Best Written Score – New Afton
Sullivan Cup Best First Aid – New Afton
Barry Abbott Memorial Trophy Best Practical Bench Skills – Sullivan
Best Performance in Underground Smoke Best Smoke Tie: New Afton/Sullivan
Keith Bracewell Memorial Award Best Obstacle & Recovery: Sullivan
Levitt Fire Trophy Best Fire – New Afton
Overall Underground Mine Rescue Trophy Highest Aggregate (Best Overall Team)- New Afton
Chief Inspectors’ Awards, (handed-out June 10th, 2017 in Kimberley)
I would like to call upon the Greenhills Mine Rescue Team and the Fording River Mine Rescue Team, who are receiving this award for their coordinated response to the haul truck rollover reported on January 25, 2016. At approximately 9:10 in the morning, a loaded coal truck backed up and went over the breaker stockpile. The operator, a member of the F crew Mine Rescue team, was trapped inside. This was a complicated and difficult rescue, and thanks to their coordinated response, training, teamwork, and perseverance, these two teams were able to save the Truck Operators’ life. He was also a member of the GHO Mine Rescue Team. As a result of his injuries the Operator had to have part of his leg amputated, below the knee and after 10 months of rehab and recovery, is back to work and continues to participate in Mine Rescue activities on his crew.
Next, I would like to call upon the New Afton Safety Committee, who are receiving this award for their work taking safety into the community through their volunteer mentorship program. This committee is an entirely volunteer organization, whose vision is to enhance youth’s safety knowledge and awareness by sharing practical hands-on industrial experience through volunteer mentorship. This program is supported by the New Afton Management Team, and is developed in conjunction with WorkSafe’s Student Work Safe Program. The team presented three module topics to high school students: On the job safety, which includes workers rights, Addresing Hazards on the Job, which includes common workplace injuries and risks, and Work Safe for Life, which connects workplace safety skills and attitudes to home, school, and community contexts. The committee delivered this program to over 120 Grade 10 students in 2016, and is scheduled to continue to deliver the program this year.
Next, I would like to call upon the Red Chris Mine Rescue Team, who are receiving this award for their work attending and providing assistance to injured members of the motoring public on BC Highway 37 North. The Red Chris Mine Rescue Team responded to 4 vehicle accidents in 2015 and 2016, as the first responders on scene were able to provide support in the form of first aid, scene securing, and traffic control. These actions go above and beyond the responsibilities of a Mine Rescue Team, and I would like to recognize this team’s training, dedication, professionalism, and unselfish call to duty of the Red Chris Mine Rescue Team and First Aid teams.
Next: For our next recipient the Copper Mountain Mine Rescue Team to accept this award on behalf of Trevor Phelps, for his contributions to mining health and safety throughout his career. Trevor has been active in Health and Safety in Mining since the 80s, and continues to contribute to the improvement and development of Health and Safety Programs at Copper Mountain today. He has also participated in three Mines Code reviews as a member of the review committee. He has contributed substantially to mine health and safety in the province.
