Nutrien Langian brought home some hardware following the Mining Association Emergency Response Mine Rescue Skills Competition in Moose Jaw on June 2.
Nutrien Lanigan placed overall runner-up in the underground competition, narrowly following the overall winner by 12 merit points, according to team captain Mark Nivon.
The team won three first place awards in fire fighting, proficiency, and practical skills, and a third place in the underground mine problem. That was not enough to beat out
Nutrien Cory who took overall winner.
Lanigan was one of 16 teams competing at the province-wide competition dedicated to above ground and underground emergency response at Saskatchewan mine sites.
Training for the competition had been going steady for the past three weeks, says Nivon, with Nutrien Lanigan offering facilities and equipment so the team could improve before competition.
The whole site is proud of the Nutrien Lanigan team, says Nutrien Lanigan manager Rob Jackson. The team put a lot of their own time into training and Jackson is happy to see it pay off for them, he says.
Training also took a lot of effort from coaches and volunteers to help prepare the team. It is a win for everyone on site, says Jackson.
The team’s strong showing at the competition has also bolstered confidence at the mine, he says.
“If they ever are needed on site or even in their communities, their training will kick in and they’ll be able to take control of whatever they need to and protect people.”
Team Nutrien Lanigan was chosen to compete after the in-house competition on April 26 with four of Nutrien Lanigan’s emergency response crews competing. The four crews are trained in both surface and underground rescue operations and provide 24-hour response.
The competition is a way for the team to bond and build trust, says Nivon.
“If you’re ever in an emergency and stuff really starts happening, you have to be able to trust each other.”
Nivon, as well as numerous members of the team, all take their training out into the community with emergency response members also volunteering in their communities.
