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Mock disaster competition prepares rescue teams for emergencies

HARRISBURG - The scene was a disaster, with smoke-filled buildings, injured miners and a towering gas flame, the heat of which could be felt more than 100 feet away.

Fortunately, the "disaster" was a series of mock emergencies created to test 12 area mine rescue teams on the eastern portion of Southeastern Illinois College's campus, all part of the Seventh Annual Mine Rescue and Skills Competition.

The event, co-hosted by SIC and partner Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, saw more than 80 miners put their knowledge of emergency skills to the test of dealing with fires, cave-ins and other possible dangerous underground situations.

According to SIC Career and Technical Education Coordinator Ben Ross, this was the third time in the competition's seen-year history that 12 teams competed.

On a sweltering, humid Wednesday, mine rescue teams donned heavy gear and coordinated strategies to overcome disaster scenarios under the watchful eye of judges who scored the teams on timeliness and effectiveness of their efforts.

The 2017 defending grand champion team from Foresight Energy LLC Blue - MaRyan Mining of Dorchester, trained by Wesley Campbell, again took home grand champion honors this year. Sunrise Coal LLC of Oaktown, Indiana, trained by Terry Phegley, was the Day Two second-place winner.

Hamilton County Coal Mine's team took first-place on Tuesday, and Prairie State Lively Grove Mine was the Day One second-place team.

Other teams competing were: Foresight Energy Viking-Mach Mine in Marion; Gateway North Mine in Coulterville; Knight Hawk Coal in Percy; Indiana Bureau of Mines in Vincennes, Indiana; Peabody Francisco Mine in Owensville, Indiana; and Peabody Wildcat Mine in Equality, Illinois. Different teams from both of Foresight Energy's mines competed both days.

The event featured competitions in smoke training in SIC's simulated mine training facility, hose management, field search and rescue, fire suppression in the burn tunnel facility, first aid scenarios and equipment use.

Cody Shockley, a Foresight Energy "South" team member, throws a mine rescue equipment pack over his shoulder as he prior to an event Wednesday. TRAVIS DENEAL PHOTO
Indiana Bureau of Mines' team works to extinguish a gas fire during competition Wednesday. TRAVIS DENEAL PHOTO
A mine rescue team enters a smoke-filled training area Wednesday. TRAVIS DENEAL PHOTO
A team member records information during a competition in the simulated mine. TRAVIS DENEAL PHOTO