We all visualize the image of a firefighter running into a burning building and pulling somebody to safety. It’s a dangerous job which takes amazing courage. However, imagine doing the same thing, but instead of a burning building you go underground and often several miles to rescue somebody. The job of a mine rescue team member is even more harrowing and requires courage which defies logic.
“It’s sort of like a firefighter. They have a sense of responsibility, a lot of courage, and a real will to dedicate a portion of their life to carry that out,” said Joe Main, chief of the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration. “They are among some of the bravest folks who engage in emergency response in this country facing some of the most difficult conditions that any rescuers face.”
MSHA recently celebrated the annual Mine Rescue Day. The rescue team members are from all across the country and are made up of day-to-day coal miners who volunteer their time to train as first responders in any mine emergency.
“Imagine getting a call at 3 a.m. grabbing you gear and going three miles underground in a mine that has been devastated by a fire or explosion,”
“We’re getting ready to make a major leap in terms of getting to the next level in mine rescue,”
Those systems include real-time communication between rescuers inside the mine and those in the command center. The communication was a critical failure at Sago.
