In this undated photo taken from the grandstands of a baseball diamond, miners put their skills to the test in a well-attended mine rescue contest.

 

Donning the latest equipment for the era, carrying blankets, and with some competitors dressed to impress, every mine rescuer had the opportunity to impress the judges with first aid and their talents at rescuing co-workers in a simulated state of distress.

 

While emergency equipment has evolved in leaps and bounds over the decades, and now includes such items as airtight SCBA masks and long-lasting air packs, emergency communications technology, gas detectors and enhanced maps, the work of mine rescue teams is just as vital to the safety of all workers.

 

Each summer in the US, several dozen rescue competitions – a number growing each year – can be found across the nation’s mining hotbeds as these skilled individuals polish techniques and procedures that keep the country one of the world’s safest for the industry.

 

Photo courtesy United States Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) National Mine Health and Safety Academy Technical Information Center & Library, Bureau of Mines Collection.