Mine Rescue Teams Demonstrate Skills during NWT Mining Week

14 June 2016

(Yellowknife, NT – June 14, 2016)  Highly trained northern mine rescue teams from the Northwest Territories and Nunavut demonstrated their skills in mock scenarios last week, ably demonstrating their preparedness should an accident occur. The event kicked off the annual NWT Mining Week, June 11-17.

Teams competed over two days within two broad categories, surface and underground, and in a variety of skill areas including fire fighting, rope rescue, smoke, and surface and underground obstacles.  The Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission (WSCC) sponsored and organized the competition. From the NWT, Ekati sent two teams (surface and underground), and Diavik and Gahcho Kué each sent single teams. Representing Nunavut were the Meadowbank and Hope Bay teams. Both Gahcho Kué and Hope Bay are under construction, and this is the first time they have sent teams to the competition.

Winners were announced at the awards banquet on Saturday night. Top honours went to the Ekati Diamond Mine, which took home both the Overall Surface and the Overall Underground trophies. Other winners were:

Event Winner
First Aid  Meadowbank Gold Mine 
Surface practical Bench Gahcho Kué Diamond Mine
Fire Fighting Ekati Diamond Mine – Underground Team
Rope Rescue Ekati Diamond Mine – Surface Team
Surface Written Test Ekati Diamond Mine
Underground Written Test Diavik Diamond Mine
Surface Smoke Gahcho Kué Diamond Mine
Underground Smoke Diavik Diamond Mine 
Underground Bench/Field Test Ekati Diamond Mine
Surface Obstacle/Extrication Ekati Diamond Mine
Underground Obstacle Hope Bay Gold Mine 
Bench Tech Gordon Zdyb, Ekati Diamond Mine
Overall Surface Ekati Diamond Mine
Overall Underground Ekati Diamond Mine

The NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines and its mining members organized the Miners’ Picnic and the public were invited to watch the competition and to partake in a free community BBQ. Free food and family activities combined with spectacular weather made for a fantastic event, and at a great new venue, the Yellowknife Multiplex/Fieldhouse site. See photos here.

For more information on the NWT and Nunavut mining industries, please visit the website at www.miningnorth.com or contact Tom Hoefer, Executive Director at Tel: 867-873-5281 or email: executivedirector@miningnorth.com