News 090509

BLUEFIELD, WV — Local mine rescue teams competed Saturday in an exercise that could help them save a life in a mine emergency.
The competition is a training tool to help miners prepare for actual disasters.

The teams map conditions they might encounter inside a mine.

It's a learning tool for exploration and location of missing miners.

Although it's just an exercise, the practices prepares miner for a real emergency.

"This is the ideal situation right here because you are training, you don't really have somebody missing. But if you follow the guidelines put forth by mine rescue, it will make you a safer rescuer in actual disasters." explains Richard Crockett, team problem designer.

Team captain, Leslie Clutter adds, "You can never really get the full concept of what a mine emergency was unless you were in it. But this gives us an idea of things we need to look for and things that we need to do and then more or less, work as a team."

This is a timed training tool.

Ten teams competed from six different coal companies.

The teams are also preparing for a national competition in Tennessee.