Mine rescue teams from across the province will vie for top honours when they head to Thunder Bay June 4-7 to take part in the Ontario Mine Rescue provincial championship.
Eight teams emerged as winners during the regional championships, which took place May 8-10.
Teams demonstrated their skill and knowledge with a mock scenario that required them to retrieve a casualty from a confined space and treat a diabetic casualty with low blood sugar.
Teams were then encouraged to use a state-of-the-art foam generator to eliminate a simulated fire, but with a challenging twist.
“We applied special coverings to competitors’ masks to emulate decreased visibility,” Shawn Rideout, chief mine rescue officer at Workplace Safety North, said in a news release.
“This prepares teams for heavy smoke conditions present with large underground fires. Communication skills and teamwork are vital in these situations.”
The winners of each district are as follows:
Algoma District
Alamos Island Gold Mine
Captain Kaiden Harrietha, #2 Dominic Jean, #3 Evan Barley, #4 Jacob Paskus, Vice Captain Jessy DeChamplain, #6 Daniel Webb, Briefing Officer Joel Labbe #7 Ben Eppert, Winning technician: Kyle Ouellette – Alamos Island Gold
Sudbury District
Vale West Mine
Captain Chris Charbonneau, #2 Roch Berthiaume, #3 Shawn Barrette, #4 Madison Tracey, Vice Captain Dustin McKinnon, #6 Patricia Gagne, BO Lorne Beleskey, #7 Brian Reeves, Winning technician: Nick Fram – Vale West Mine
Onaping District
Glencore SINO Fraser and Nickel Rim South Mines
Captain Julien Lalande, #2 Aaron Boutet, #3 Neil Poulin, #4 Alyssa Spry, Vice Captain Jesse Legault, #6 Shawn O’Brien, BO Bleir Millions, Winning technician: Dan Rioux – Glencore
Thunder Bay District
Impala Lac Des Isles Mine
Captain Dillon Bradley, #2 Kyle Barbeau, #3 Christopher Strom, #4 Connor O'Limb, Vice Captain Devin Jackson, #6 Christopher Forsyth, BO Manuel Manero, Winning technician: Monika Jorgensen – Impala Lac Des Isles Mine
Red Lake District
Evolution Mining Red Lake Operations
Captain Scott McKean, #2 Tyler Lorenzini, #3 Geoff Taylor, #4 Jeff Merkel, Vice Captain David Zapora, #6 Carl Grondin, BO Rob Nylund, Winning technician: Gabriel Roy – Newmont Musselwhite
Timmins District
Lakeshore Gold West Bell Creek Mines
Captain Adam Weagle, #2 Shane Sullivan, #3 Brandon Duhan, #4 Andrew MacIvor, Vice Captain Natalie Lafontaine, #6 Serge Roy, BO Tyler Williams, Winning technician: Mike Bennett – Glencore Kidd Operations
Kirkland Lake District
Agnico Eagle Macassa Mine
Captain Nicholas Perrier, #2 Jackson Lafrance, #3 Jean-Francois Racine, #4 Denis Dion, Vice Captain Hubert Gour, #6 Carlie Dewar, BO April Belecque, #7 Colin Price, Winning technician: Garry Bennett – Alamos Gold
Southern District
CGC Hagersville Mine
Captain Joshua Stringer, #2 Scott Walton, #3 Charles Heaslip, #4 Ashlee Reitsma, Vice Captain Steve Wilkieson, #6 Allen Barber, BO Paul Hunt, Winning technician: Matt Peebles – CGC Hagersville
The provincial championships will take place at Thunder Bay's Fort Williams Gardens.
Ontario Mine Rescue is an initiative of Workplace Safety North, a non-profit health and safety association that provides workplace health and safety services for the mining and forest products sectors.
