When Jeff Farquharson rappelled down the 70-foot, dripping rock wall at Dynamic Earth's Vale Chasm to rescue Perry Simon on Thursday morning, he wasn't nervous.
“We're going to take you down, you're in good hands buddy,” he said as he attached Simon's harness to his own.
It could be that the rescue was just a simulation, or it could be that Farquharson is trained to deal with these situations, and knows how to stay calm and collected.
“I don't get nerves,” said Farquharson. “It's just knowing the next step and communication with the team, and you've got to help that individual out.”
Farquharson was competing in the International Mines Rescue Competition (IMRC) as part of Sudbury's Vale West Mines team. Perry was standing – or rather, hanging – in as the victim in the rope rescue scenario.
The Vale team was joined by 27 others, from 13 countries, for the 10th anniversary of the competition, which spanned the past week. The competition was hosted by Workplace Safety North and Ontario Mine Rescue.
“These simulations have blown other ones out of the water,” said Workplace Safety North's marketing and communications specialist, Gabrielle MacFarlane.
Angie Robson, Vale's manager of corporate and Aboriginal affairs, was at the rope rescue event to cheer on her team, and echoed MacFarlane's sentiment.
“We know how much prep is involved, and there's a lot of pride,” said Robson, whose Vale West Mines team was joined by a Vale Manitoba Operations Team.
“When the teams come together, there is so much camaraderie.”
Along with the rope rescue event, competitors faced first aid, firefighting, underground and technician challenges, along with a less thrilling, but still essential, written theory test.
Competitors can choose between being judged for first aid or the rope rescue challenge, although many will still complete in both just for the experience.
Jon Gate is an emergency response and safety co-ordinator for De Beers in the North West Territories, and came to the competition as a judge for the rope rescue event.
“A lot of them have never done it, and some teams really know their stuff — they walk in and rock it,” said Gate. “Some walk in and say 'nope.'”
Simon said the 70-foot drop is daunting for a lot of competitors.
“The first leap is the toughest, that first leaning over the edge,” said Simon. “That's where your stomach wants to get ready to go.”
For his part, Simon said he loves participating in the event, and thought Farquharson did a great job rescuing him.
The competition's results will be announced Friday night at the closing ceremonies.