A trifecta win at the Victorian Mine Rescue Competition for CMOC-Northparkes Mines just wasn’t meant to be.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Northparkes has been sending its Emergency Response Team to the well-respected national competition for the last 20 years, and was named overall winner in 2009, 2014 and 2015.
The event attracts teams from mines across Australia.
The local team of Jamie Pope (captain), Travis Beaton, Wayne Logan, Linda Snyman, Jack Medlyn, Mat Allan and Brooke Lees headed to the 2016 event at Newmarket Gold's Fosterville Gold Mine, near Bendigo between October 14 and 16, with high hopes of taking the big gong three years in a row.
The team competed in a number of challenges, demonstrating theoretical and practical mine rescue skills and placing first in three events - fire, ropes and theory.
They also came second in first aid.
The team was ranked first for safety across the three days and team captain Jamie placed third for his leadership during the competition.
But it was Evolution Mining that won overall.
“Our consistent success at this competition reflects the team’s hard work to stay at the leading edge of emergency response practices,” Northparkes managing director Stefanie Loader said.
“We are enormously proud of our competition team, only three of whom had competed before.
“Our congratulations go to the winning team from Evolution Mining. It’s great to see another company operating in NSW’s Central West bring home the trophy.”
Northparkes manager people, safety and environment, Angus Wyllie, said “zero harm operations” was their approach to all they do.
“Our ability to respond to emergency scenarios is a critical part of this,” he said.
“Competitions such as this allow us to practice our skills and benchmark ourselves against others in the industry.
“It’s great to know that our ERT is always ready to assist us and others in times of need.”
Nationals’ MP Michael McCormack has praised Northparkes for its outstanding results at this year’s competition.
“The result for Northparkes at the weekend demonstrates again what a leader our region is in mine safety and rescue,” he said.
“Getting to know the team and operations at Northparkes Mines has been an exciting part of my time in the Central West.”
Parkes Mayor Ken Keith OAM commended the Emergency Response Team on their efforts.
“Northparkes continues to excel in the way of emergency response practices...It's fantastic to see a local organisation leading the way in its approach to safety operations,” he said.
