Leading experts from America’s coal mining community put their skills to the test at the 2015 National Coal Mine Rescue, First Aid, Bench and Preshift Competition held September 14-17 at the Lexington Convention Center in Lexington, Kentucky. The 2015 competition featured 65 teams with some 600 people participating in competitions to test the effectiveness of their team training regimes and to ensure their readiness in the event they are called upon to aid in the rescue of their colleagues.

The competition is sponsored by the National Mining Association (NMA) and judged by the US Department of Labour’s Mine Safety and Health Administration. The four-day competition included team and individual competitions. Started in 1910 by the US Bureau of Mines, it is the largest national competition of its kind.

“Until a day when serious mining accidents are problems of the past, we will be meeting like this—honouring your selfless dedication that has been on impressive display this week,” NMA President and CEO Hal Quinn told the audience at the award ceremony. He recognised competition winners at the ceremony that officially concluded the mining rescue competition. Also taking part in the ceremony was Joe Main, Assistant Secretary of Labour for Mine Safety And Health.

Along with the competition, exhibits of equipment essential to mining safety were on display during the event. One highlight was the exhibit for NMA’s CORESafety® program, a systems approach to mine safety that was launched in 2011. More than two-thirds of NMA member companies have now signed on as active participants.

Below is a list of the winners of the 2015 Coal Mine Rescue Competition:

Mine Rescue Competition

First Place – Alpha Natural Resources, Southern West Virginia Team

Second Place – Arch Coal, Lone Mountain Processing, Lone Mountain Team

Third Place – Arch Coal, Beckley Complex, Beckley Gold Team

Mine Rescue Day One

Drummond Company, Shoal Creek Red Team

Mine Rescue Day Two

Alpha Natural Resources, Southern West Virginia Team

Combination (Mine Rescue and First Aid)

First Place – Mine Rescue Services, Southeast KY Team

Second Place – Walter Energy, JWR Blue Creek Team

Third Place – Arch Coal, Sentinel Complex Mine Rescue Team

First Aid

First Place – Cliffs Natural Resources – Oak Grove Resources LLC, Oak Grove Blue Team

Second Place – Walter Energy, JWR Team #4

Third Place – Walter Energy, JWR Blue Creek Team

Bench – BG4

First Place – Tony Lloyd, Revelation Energy, LLC

Second Place – Duke Rich, Blue Mountain Energy, Deserado Black Team

Third Place – Gary Valusek, Jr, Alpha Natural Resources, Cumberland RD Team

Bench 240R Awards

First Place – Taber Tichenor, KY Coal Academy, MCC Team

Second Place – Barry Rowe, Arch Coal, Viper Red Team

Third Place – Matt Garner, White Count Coal, Pattiki Mine Rescue Team

Preshift

First Place – Jeff Clark, Alliance Coal Co. – Warrior Coal LLC, Cardinal Team

Second Place – Jason Grasha, Alpha Natural Resources, Cumberland JC Team

Third Place – Mike Moore, Excel Mining LLC, Excel Mine Rescue Team