The Queensland Mines Rescue Service (QMRS) was awarded a ‘fast-track’ grant in the current round of ACARP funding. Funding for the bulk of projects is yet to be granted before year-end.

The initiative is being driven by the QMRS and by Chairman Ray Parkin in particular.

“The QMRS is concerned about the ability of its mines rescue trainees to provide aided rescue services to mines under extremes of heat and humidity,” Parkin said.

The vehicle will be required to operate in hot, humid and potentially explosive atmospheres.

Parkin said that the level one exercise conducted at Kestrel mine in late 2001 provided evidence of a dilemma that would face both the QMRS and the incident management team in the event of a rescue being required. This was an inability to respond quickly enough to survivors located 2km inbye. Parkin added that this problem would be further exacerbated in future when longwalls became over 4km in length.

‘Aided escape’ currently depends on the BG 174 long duration oxygen breathing apparatus for a surface response. In about two years time, Drager will no longer provide spare parts for the existing BG 174’s.

“In the short term, QMRS and NSWMRS need to make some decisions regarding the replacement of the BG 174 units for aided escape,” Parkin said.

The industry both in Queensland and NSW are increasingly using more compressed air breathing apparatus (CABA) suits for self-escape. CABA is a short duration apparatus compared to the BG 174 and therefore cannot be utilised from the surface for aided escape. To allow CABA to be used for aided escape, a vehicle able to operate in hot, humid and potentially explosive atmospheres is required. This will enable rescuers to move more rapidly through the environment than is possible on foot.

Parkin said QMRS supports current work CSIRO is conducting in the use of a liquid salt engine to power a multipurpose rescue vehicle capable of operating in potentially explosive atmospheres. However because this unit is not expected to be available for up to five years, Parkin said something must be done in the interim period to provide some capacity to conduct aided rescue with a rescue vehicle.

The scoping study will determine if any existing mine vehicles can be readily modified.

“The benefits of having a mines rescue vehicle include a more rapid response to recovery of survivors and closure of a gap in the response to an incident as identified in the Kestrel Level 1 Exercise,” Parkin said.

The scoping study is being conducted under the umbrella of SIMTARS and is expected to be completed by March/April 2003.