MSHA also will host a series of technical sessions in order that national and international teams may exchange information on mine rescue training, equipment and technical support. These challenges are more difficult in some parts of the world than in others. As all of us struggle to find ways to prevent mining disasters, MSHA welcomes this opportunity to share our technical expertise with other countries. The bottom line, of course, is that we all can learn from each other. In the first aid contest, participants must demonstrate the correct method of caring for an injured miner.
Judges assess teams on proper application of skills according to the fundamentals of first aid.
Mine rescue training began in the United States in 1910, the year the U.S. Bureau of Mines was created. Joseph A. Holmes, the bureau's first director, sought a training vehicle that would provide the mining industry with a cadre of mine rescue specialists who would be prepared to respond to mine disasters. The training efforts evolved into local and regional competitions and, a year later, a national contest.