Mine Rescue Teams Train for Disaster through Competition at SIC

Twelve teams convened June 9-10 for the fourth Mine Safety and Rescue Skills Competition in Illinois at Southeastern Illinois College in partnership with Illinois Eastern Community Colleges (IECC). 

“We had a very successful event again this year,” stated Dr. Karen Weiss, Dean for Career and Technical Education for SIC.  “Putting together an event this size wouldn’t be possible without help from not only SIC faculty and staff, but also a great team of people through Illinois Eastern.  SIC and IECC have a wonderful working partnership in providing skills training for our local and regional mines.”

Over 100 miners from Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky competed in six rounds of exercises that included fire training in the burn tunnel, smoke training and mapping in the burn tower, hose management, gas testing, field rescue, first aid, as well as written testing. During the two day competition trophies were awarded to the top three teams on each day.

This year’s teams that competed on Tuesday, June 9 included American Coal Company of Galatia, Illinois; Foresight Energy North from MaRyan/Patton Mine in Hillsboro, Illinois; Gateway Mine in Coulterville, Illinois; Kentucky Coal Academy’s Madisonville Community College Mine Rescue Team from Madisonville, Kentucky; Knight Hawk Coal in Cutler, Illinois; and Lively Grove Mine in Marissa, Illinois.

Those who competed on Wednesday, June 10 were Foresight Energy North from MaRyan Patton Mine in Hillsboro, Illinois; Foresight Energy South from Vicking-Mach Mine in Marion, Illinois; Patikki Mine in Carmi, Illinois; Sunrise Coal Mine Rescue Team in Carlisle, Indiana; White Oak Resources in McLeansboro, Illinois; and Wildcat Hills Mine in Harrisburg, Illinois.

On the first day of competition, Gateway Mine in Coulterville took first place. Second place on Tuesday went to Kentucky Coal Academy’s Madisonville Community College Mine Rescue Team from Madisonville, Kentucky and third place went to Foresight Energy North from Maryan/Patton Mine in Hillsboro.

On the second day of competition, SunRise Coal Mine Rescue Team from Oaktown, Indiana took the first place trophy for the day, with Foresight Energy North – Blue Team from Parron/Maryan Mine in Carlinville finishing second and Foresight Energy South Team – a composite team from Viking Mine in Macedonia and Mach Mine in Johnston City.

The purpose of the event was not only to provide an extra opportunity for mine safety training in an exciting and competitive environment, but also to increase awareness regarding training opportunities in the area and encourage utilization of that training to keep our local miners prepared and safe on the job.

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For additional photos, visit SIC’s Facebook page.