WorldWide Drilling Resource

10 SEPTEMBER 2015 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® Advancing Mine Rescue: An Ongoing Pursuit Adapted from Information Provided by the Mine Safety and Health Administration Every second counts when a mine emergency strikes. Well-equipped and -trained rescue teams, along with effective communications can make the difference between life and death for miners who are trapped or injured. A series of mine emergency events re- cently revealed shortcomings in mine emer- gency response and mine rescue readiness. To address these issues and ensure mine rescuers are as prepared as possible for dangerous emergency response work, an initiative was launched by Joseph Main, the assistant secretary of labor for the Mine Safety and HealthAdministration (MSHA), in 2010 to identify and fix gaps in mine emer- gency and rescue response and readiness. Over the last five years, MSHA has worked with mine rescue teams and trainers, as well as representatives of industry, labor, and other government agencies; organized several mine rescue summits; staged mine emergency exercises; and held a series of meetings and discussions. These efforts are leading to significant advances in mine res- cue. Previously, messages were passed from person to person and team to team, creating an inherent risk of miscommunication during a disaster. Now, state-of-the-art technology will allow direct communication between ad- vancing mine rescue teams and the com- mand center, while back-up rescue teams standing by at a fresh air base are kept in the loop with real-time information. New mapping technology allows the command center and other rescuers to watch progress of the advancing rescue team in real time. Updated at- mospheric monitoring technology features sensors which can be left at locations in the mine as rescuers move forward, or are forced to retreat. The monitors continue sending air quality information to the command center and providing reentering teams with better information on mine gases which are too often unknown. Upgraded MSHA command centers are designed to manage new information streams and quickly relay critical information to others coordinating the mine emergency. These new communications, tracking, mapping, and atmospheric monitoring systems from MSHA were put to the test during a mine rescue simulation at the Harvey Mine in southwestern Pennsylvania. From early morning to late afternoon, MSHA’s mine emergency unit and rescue team worked together with eight rescue teams, the Pennsylvania Department of Deep Mine Safety, and the Pennsylvania S pecial Medical Response Team in a series of drills involving injured miners and smoke- filled tunnels. Rescuers were tracked on c omputer screens to help coordinators plot their next moves. This kind of seamless communication i s essential, but it’s only one part of the on- going effort to improve mine rescue. There’s s till more work to do, and MSHA is full speed a head with several safety projects in prog- r ess. The ultimate goal is to be as prepared a s possible to come to the aid of our nation’s m iners in the event of an emergency. Top: Rescuers work on an injured worker during an emergency drill at the Harvey Mine. Bottom: Medical personnel communicates with rescuers as they treat the injured miner shown on-screen. We enjoyed reading this letter in the Arizona Water Well Association’s Well Said Newsletter and thought you would too. She’s a very special young lady! To the Arizona Water Well Association: I would like to express my most heartfelt appreciation for allowing me to be a recipient of this scholarship. The scholarship has helped me pay for my first semester tuition at the University of Arizona. I am currently pursuing a degree in psy- chology and a minor in sociology to hopefully work with pediatric oncology patients and their families. My goal is to help as many children as I can work through the difficult experience that is can- cer. I am currently taking classes both in psychol- ogy and women studies to diversify my college learning. I am dedicated to my studies and will continue my education thanks to AZWWA. On behalf of myself and my family, thank you for making this scholarship available to qualified members' families. I am grateful for this op- portunity. -Dakota Monasmith, Daughter of Jon Monasmith, AZCA Project Manager & Hydrogeologist Scholarship Recipient