By Brenna Angela
Lexington, KY – A regional competition taking place in Kentucky this week will test the expertise and training of first mine rescue teams from across the country. Brent Davenport of the Central Kentucky Mine Rescue Association says the event, sponsored by MSHA, consists of several components.
"From your air packs, to your first aid, to your air monitoring, to just your general how to get into a mine and how to find the problem. Whether it's a cave in, whether it's a fire, they give you all kinds of scenarios that have happened in the past."
Groups from eight states, including as far away as Montana and Wyoming, will meet this Wednesday and Thursday in Mason County. The teams routinely work with gold mines, salt mines, and other metal and non-metal operations. Last year three miners from Madisonville died on the job.