First aid and mine rescue skills on display at Zone Competition

First aid and surface mine rescue teams showed off their high safety standards and skills on Saturday at the 93^rd annual East Kootenay Zone Mine Rescue and First Aid Competition.

Hosted every year by the East Kootenay Mines Industrial Safety Association (EKMISA) and held at Rayco Steel in Sparwood, teams completed a written test and were judged on mock scenarios that took roughly 30 minutes to complete. Spectators braved the chilly weather to watch the action and stayed warm with a barbeque sponsored by Finning, SMS Equipment, and Cummins Western Canada.

The day’s events were followed by a banquet dinner at the Fernie Community Centre to recognize all of the competitors, judges, volunteers, and sponsors.

The 2014 winners are:

Youth team

First place: Elkview Operations

Intermediate team

First place: Elkview Operations

Best Captain Level 3 First Aid

First place: Dean Haarstad – Finning

Novice Level 3 First Aid

First place: Finning

Overall Level 3 First Aid

First place: SMS Equipment

Three Person Team Surface Mine Rescue

First place: Coal Mountain Operations

Second place: Fording River Operations

Best written

First place: Jason Kallies – Greenhills Operations

Best Captain Surface Mine Rescue:

First place: Dan Oliver – Elkview Operations

Six Person Team Surface Mine Rescue:

First place: Greenhills Operations

Second place: Elkview Operations