The winners of last year's provincial mine rescue competition are heading back to defend their title.
From May 8-10, regional Ontario Mine Rescue competitions were held to determine who represents each of the eight regions at the provincial level.
In the Timmins District, Lake Shore Gold West-Bell Creek Mines are the best in the region. The team is the reigning provincial champions and is heading to Thunder Bay June 4-7 to defend their provincial title. The winners take home the coveted gold hardhats.
The members of the Lake Shore Gold team are captain Adam Weagle, #2 Shane Sullivan, #3 Brandon Duhan, #4 Andrew MacIvor, vice captain Natalie Lafontaine, #6 Serge Roy, and briefing officer Tyler Williams.
The winning technical for the district is Mike Bennett of Glencore Kidd Operations.
For the regional competition, teams used their first aid knowledge to retrieve a casualty from a confined space, and treat a diabetic casualty with low sugars. The teams also used a state-of-the-art foam generator to put out a simulated fire.
“We applied special coverings to competitors masks to emulate decreased visibility,” said Shawn Rideout, chief mine rescue sfficer at Workplace Safety North, 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 winning teams in other districts are:
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, briefing officer 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, and briefing officer 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, and briefing officer 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, and briefing officer Rob Nylund
- Winning technician - Gabriel Roy, Newmont Musselwhite
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, briefing officer April Belecque, and #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, and briefing officer Paul Hunt
- Winning technician - Matt Peebles, CGC Hagersville
