The Polish teams were able to use their home advantage at the recent 9th International Mines Rescue Competition in Katowice. From a total of 18 podium placements, 13 were awarded to local teams. The best performing teams were “Black Gold” and “Bytom Team”, which was also able to win the “Mines Rescue Exercise” team contest. A total of 21 teams from 13 countries participated in the contests, for which Germany’s Dräger, the global supplier of mine safety equipment, was again one of the main sponsors. Dräger’s range of mine safety solutions includes everything from from respiratory protection and gas detection for daily operational safety, to self contained self-rescuers and refuge shelters for emergency situations.

In addition to the “Mines Rescue Exercise” team contest, the teams also competed against each other in the individual disciplines of “First Aid”, “Servicemen of Breathing Apparatus”, “Servicemen of Measuring Equipment” and “Theoretical Knowledge of Mines Rescue”. Besides the contests, the event provided an opportunity to exchange ideas and share experiences. For IMRB Chairman Alex Gryska an essential element: “Events like the IMRB Conferences or the International Mines Rescue Competitions contribute significantly to the exchange of information among all those involved in mining. This not only makes our business safer, it brings the global community closer together.”

The program also included excursions to the Barbara Experimental Mine and the Wieliczka Salt Mine as well as a trip to Krakow. Next year, Germany will host the IMRB Conference in Hanover. Further information is available at http://www.imrb2015.de. The venue of the 2016 Competition has yet to be announced.