Gastech

Over the weekend of 29th and 30th November , Langley Park Grounds in Perth will see a flurry of activity and excitement as teams of emergency response personnel from a range of mining operations across Western Australia test their skills at the fourth annual Mining Emergency Response Competition (MERC).
Mining by nature is a high risk profession and with WA having over a third of Australia’s mining workforce we have to take safety very seriously .
The competition aims to improve the scope of learning through basic skills training and exposure to realistic scenarios performed under pressure. Teams are made up of a combination of volunteer Emergency Response members and full time Emergency Service Officers. T hey are assessed on a range of emergency an d rescue disciplines including First Aid, Hazardous Materials, Road Crash Rescue, Confined Space, Vertical Rescue, Fire fighting and Emergency Response Team Readiness.
“Mines rescue is particularly dangerous work with rescue crews usually made up of volunteers who risk their own lives to save their fellow workers. Due to the remote location of many mine sites, the site based Emergency Response volunteers provide immediate assistance in the case of an incident,” said Sue Steele, Committee Member of MERC.
There are many mines sites that have mutual aid agreements with their local shire. Some of the incidents that they attend are outside the mine perimeter as they assist the local community in emergency situations such as road accidents, medical emergencies, f ires, floods and much more. MERC 2013 saw over 300 participants take part in the two day event where teams can test their capabilities against some of the best in WA. This competition showcases the skills involved to ensure safe workplaces and communities around Australia in the case of an emergency.
“Now that we are in our fourth year it’s great to see more people participating and attending the event, recognising the importance of Emergency Services in mining. These emergency response teams put their lives in danger to save others they need to be acknowledged ,” added Sue. All money raised from the event will be donated to charities nominated by the competing teams . Over the past three years MERC has raised and donated over $145,000 to charity.
MERC provides the opportunity for mining families and the general public to get an insight into how these teams work in real life emergency situations. Come and see the participating teams demonstrate their skills of Emergency Res ponse and Rescue training, plus there will be a range of free activities for the kids. See you at Langley Park on 29 th & 30 th November 2014 and visit www.themerc.com.au