Equipment on backs and in hand, the Snow Lake Mine Rescue Team searches the subterranean depth of Lalor Mine for a missing comrade. A choking gray hue envelops the decline’s 90 metre level as the rescue team enters the area under air.
Briefed on surface, they are aware that smoke was reported coming out of the portal at 8:15 a.m. on May 12. Stench gas was released at 8:18 a.m. The Snow Lake team was first on site, with two other teams en route. Earlier that morning, six people tagged in to go to work in the area: a supervisor, two bolters, a scoop operator, a jumbo operator and a truck driver.
The mine manager reported he’d been in contact with the supervisor, who advised he hadn’t heard from the jumbo operator who had been taking a development round on the 90m level. The trucker was on surface and the supervisor was taking the remainder of the workers to the 90m refuge station. There had been no contact with him since and no other information was available at the time.
Arriving at the level, they stop at an Electrical Sub Station (ESS) to check heavy smoke. A call to their director of operations on surface cuts the power to the ESS and the smoke and fire subside. Readings and more smoke indicate a secondary fire. Carrying on, they assess it is coming from a jumbo. Using a water hose from beside the refuge station, the team begins to fight it, but the fire is petroleum-based and water is useless. Adapting, they gather nearby extinguishers and after checking whether they are operational, use them to put out the fire. The captain then enters the refuge station and comes out looking for the first aid kit and help with the injured jumbo operator found inside. He has burns to his face and arms. They administer first aid to the worker, who is in immense pain due to his injuries. They load him on the stretcher and ferry him to surface prior to time being called.
This is not a common occurrence in the mining industry, but on this day it will happen five times. However, on this day, each team knows full well that if a mistake is made they will only lose a point or two. If it happens outside of a competition, it could cost someone their life.
The 2017 Mine Rescue Competition got underway May 12 in the community of Snow Lake, and rescue teams from Thompson (Vale), Flin Flon (Hudbay), Bernic Lake (Tanco), Bissett (Klondex) and Snow Lake (Hudbay) went up against each other in the 56th-annual staging of the event.
Over the two days of competition, teams were tested on their competence dealing with equipment problems, their firefighting ability, first aid aptitude, practical skills, and the all-important rescue mission. Teams are scored on what they miss, with negative points assessed when they make a mistake on their assignments throughout the weekend. The team with the lowest score at the end of the annual competition is declared the winner.
No one in the mining industry goes to work convinced something injurious will happen prior to the end of their shift; however, in an industrial setting, preparing for an incident is as important as reducing or eliminating them. During the underground scenario, three rescuers not directly involved in the operation took time to offer their views on this aspect.
Technician Bernard Fourie, who has worked underground for approximately 21 years (10 in Canada, 11 in South Africa) says he got involved with mine rescue on the urging of a friend. A firefighter himself, he said that his father was involved with mine rescue in South Africa, and he supposes that’s why he felt it was the right thing to do. Fourie said he has used his skills on six or seven occasions, most of which he was on shift for. He says that it is the same when his fire pager goes off … his heart stops for a second then is pumping hard until he’s done, but he is reacting with the training he has attained over the years and not second-guessing himself when lives are on the line.
Coach Terry Hornyak has worked underground for 23 years and been involved in mine rescue for 15 of them. Hornyak has used his experience several times in that period, both in Canada and Mexico. He became involved because he likes the camaraderie. “But, I love having the knowledge too and I think it’s really important for everybody to have a little mine rescue training,” he said. “The guy with the training on your crew is the guy that will be there to save your bacon.”
Coach Dallas Henrikson has been involved with mine rescue for seven years, both at Lalor and before that at Bissett with San Gold. He has a military background, having spent 15 years in the forces. He feels that has a lot to do with why he is involved with mine rescue. Henrikson has also responded to emergencies in real life and is grateful for the training he has. “You know it’s real, and that’s your buddy down there. It’s go time.”
When all the teams had been put through their paces and the smoke had cleared, the points were tallied and a winning team emerged. The top mine rescue team in Manitoba for 2017 is Hudbay’s Flin Flon team of: captain Trevor Thurstan, #2/tech Dave Green, #3 Mike Desjarlais, #4 Steve MacArthur, vice-captain Dale Holmgren, director of operations Darren Lyhkun, spare Alex Croft, and instructor/trainers Marshall Manns and Tracy Knutson. Runner up went to the Hudbay Snow Lake team of captain Jonathon Young, #2 Jodi Brasch, #3 Jeremy Campbell, #4 Judd Fey, vice-captain Jordan Galloway, director of operations Tony Butt, technician Bernard Fourie, coach/instructor Dallas Henrikson, coach Terry Hornyak and host/instructor Clint Parsons. Also the technician award went to Simon Nolan of Tanco, the firefighting competition winner was Vale, the practical skills winner was captain Todd Yuskow of Vale (the practical skills team had members from each of the five competing teams), the first aid award went to Hudbay Flin Flon, and the written exam award also went to Hudbay Flin Flon.
