2013 Southeastern Illinois College Skills Contest

Fun, but no game
Mine Rescue is Competitive Training

The Southern
BY Nick Mariano
June 13, 2013
See Competition Photos

Tim Kirkpatrick doesn’t take the fun of competing in mine rescue for granted and is thankful for every chance to hone his skills.

In 1996, those skills were called upon as he and others battled an underground blaze at what was then the Kerr McGee mine in Galatia.

“It’s a way for all the guys to work together as a team,” Kirkpatrick said.  “Competitions like this let’s us work in fire and smoke suppression and other skills.”

Kirkpatrick, involved in mine rescue since 1981, is a member of the Illinois Office of Mines and Minerals composite team from Benton.

His team and nine others from Illinois, Indiana and West Virginia competed Tuesday and Wednesday at the second mine rescue competition hosted at Southeastern Illinois College.

This year’s event was expanded to two days to compensate for greater interest in the skills-based competition, said Karen Weiss, SIC’s dean for Career and Technical Education.

Emphasis was also placed on generating more interest in skills competition as opposed to the more traditional field rescue competitions, Weiss said.

“That’s the whole purpose of doing the mines rescue skills.  We want to get it out there and get mines to start doing this,” she said.

Teams competed in a number of areas including but not limited to fire fighting exercises, gas testing and navigating a smoked-filled environment.

Art Rice, of the state’s Mines and Minerals Office, said mine rescue training, which competition counts toward in meeting requisite hours, is changing with more focus on skills.

“You are going to use and learn different skills in a mine emergency response.  They are specially skilled and trained,” he said of rescuers.

Joe Myers, from one of two Harrisburg composite teams consisting of coal miners from multiple mines, has been a mine rescuer for 29 years.

He is passionate about the job.

“It is something that has always been dear to my heart.  I want to help people, and that’s what these contest do,” he said.  “That’s what all the guys here will do.