Xstrata team wins provincial crown

Xstrata Nickel's Sudbury Operations' Fraser/Thayer-Lindsley mine rescue team won the Provincial Mine Rescue Competition held earlier this month at the Northern Centre for Advanced Technology's training site in Onaping.

The team was honoured with three of the competition's five awards, including first place overall,·team firefighting, and team first aid.

The team competed against five others from across Ontario. This is the fifth time in 12 years a team from the Sudbury operations has won the top provincial title.

"Congratulations to the members of the Fraser/Thayer-Lindsley team. They were outstanding representatives of both Xstrata Nickel and the Sudbury district with their performance," said Mike Romaniuk, vice-president of Sudbury Operations for Xstrata Nickel. "This is a clear demonstration of the quality of our mine rescue program and the commitment of all employees involved to ensuring the health and safety of our workers."

Mine rescue is a specialized and provincially regulated aspect of emergency response for mining operations. Xstrata Nickel has nearly 70 personnel trained for mine rescue. They train at least six times during the year, with additional training for those participating in the competitions. All mine rescuers must pass a basic and standard course; an advanced accreditation is also available.

Each year the Mines and Aggregates Safety and Health Association holds regional and provincial mine rescue competitions in Ontario to test team skills and to help ensure consistency in training and equipment across all districts. Teams of eight simulate a response to a crisis situation, during which they are judged on their use of field testing gear, the briefing delivered by the briefing officer to the team and the rescue simulation.