The annual Coal Services Northern Region First Aid Competition puts mine workers first aid skills to the test, with teams having to respond quickly to various scenarios using everything they have learnt through their first aid training.
Eleven teams battled for top honours in a fierce and closely contested event at the Newcastle Mines Rescue station on Friday 11 April, with the team from the Glencore Bulga Coal open cut mine being named the overall winners.
Monique Roberts, Head of Health Operations, explained that the competition is designed to test knowledge, skill and teamwork in a variety of realistic emergency situations.
“The scenarios reflect incidents that may occur at home, in the community, or in the workplace. Teams are equipped with only a basic first aid kit, like you might have at home or in the car. The idea is to treat injuries and remove other hazards until paramedics arrive,” she said.
Newcastle Mines Rescue Regional Manager, Darren Parker, added that the day is an extension of the theory and skills learnt in the classroom.
“You never know when you might need to use these vital skills. The competition adds an element of surprise, allowing teams to practice thinking quickly and acting under pressure,” he said.
“The ability to assess and manage the scene calmly is what makes a truly effective first aider.”
The scenarios on the day included treating someone suffering chemical burns, rescuing a person trapped under a vehicle, dealing with patients at a rave, applying first aid to someone who lost several fingers in a motorbike chain, and performing CPR on a baby.
Bulga’s team captain Nick O’Toole said that was the hardest scenario to deal with on the day.
“The competition pushed us to think beyond our training to manage each situation.
“The competition is challenging because of the realism of each scenario. The hardest one was performing CPR on a baby [CPR mannequin] while dealing with a lot of hysterical people in the room,” he explained.
“I’d like to thank Coal Services and all the volunteers – they truly make this event one that gives us a chance to learn and grow. I’d especially like to call out Hunter Valley Mines Rescue; we train there once a month, and I think that prepared us for today. We stayed consistent, we had a method that we followed and the team did great.”
The other participating teams on the day included GM3’s Dendrobium Mine at Wollongong, United Wambo JV, Yancoal’s Ashton Coal Mine and Mt Thorley Warkworth mine, MACH Energy’s Mt Pleasant mine, Glencore’s Mangoola, Bulga and Mt Owen/Glendell Open Cut (MGO) mines, Bengalla at Muswellbrook, Origin Energy’s team from Eraring and Peabody Energy’s Metropolitan mine at Helensburgh.
Main image caption: Bulga Coal team members (L-R): Nick O’Toole (captain), Kane Scott, Gary Quinn, Kieran Briener.
