Rescue me: Meadowbank crew scores in competition

A mine rescue team from Agnico-Eagle’s Meadowbank Mine racked up two victories at a territorial mine rescue competition held June 10 and June 11 in Yellowknife.

“Training for an event of this magnitude was not easy as the members of the team were from different departments and worked different shift schedules.” Len Kutchaw, Agnico-Eagle’s health and safety superintendent, said in a company news release.

The Meadowbank team competed in all of the competition’s six events: First Aid, firefighting, rope rescue, smoke testing, extrication and theoretical knowledge.

They emerged victorious in two events: the smoke test and the theoretical knowledge bench test.

“They certainly demonstrated what can be achieved through team work. We are very proud of our team,” Kutchaw said.

Other participants included teams from BHP’s Ekati Diamond Mine, Rio Tinto’s Diavik Diamond Mine, De Beers’ Snap Lake Mine and Capstone Mining Corp.’s Minto Mine in the Yukon.

The event is sponsored each year by the Workers Safety and Compensation Commission of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Members of Agnico-Eagle’s mine rescue team. Front row: Jamie Kataluk, Fanny Laporte and Richard Jackson. Second row: team captain Philippe Beaudoin, Éric Parent, Stéphane Larose and Brian Dillon. (PHOTO COURTESY OF AGNICO EAGLE)