By Tonia Moxley

August 14, 2017 - The Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy has announced the winners of the 38th annual Virginia Mining Institute Mine Rescue contest held last week in Blacksburg.

The 11-member Wellmore Energy Company Red Team from Grundy won the contest, which tested every aspect of their response to a simulated mine disaster, as well as a written exam.

The competition lasted three days — from Tuesday to Thursday — and covered every aspect of mine search and rescue. Each competing team is made up of mine workers, from roof bolters (also known as “pin men”) and engineers to foremen and electricians, who have volunteered to help in the direst of emergencies.

The event is organized by the Virginia Mining Institute with support from state and federal regulatory agencies. The institute was founded in the 1960s and focuses on mine safety training and professional development. The group has been running the contest since 1972, and it’s been held in Blacksburg since 1978.

“One thing [Virginia Mining Institute] has always held true is quality,” said Wayne Davis, contest coordinator and designer. “We stress them physically and mentally. If they’re ever called to a disaster, that’s what they’ll be in.”

Every mine in the commonwealth is required to have a certified rescue team and a backup team within a one-hour drive of the mine site, according to VDMME spokeswoman Tarah Kesterson.

Nine rescue teams from Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Alabama competed in the event, which is judged by mine safety experts from industry and government agencies. They encountered equipment failures, entrapped miners and dangerous levels of toxic gasses. The event was timed, and the team with the best performance overall received a trophy at a banquet held Thursday.

Runner-up teams were Alden Resources Team from Corbin, Kentucky, and Paramont Contura out of Norton, Virginia.

The last major mining disaster in Virginia happened on Dec. 7, 1992, when an explosion at Mine No. 3 of the Southmountain Coal Company in Norton killed eight miners.

Back row, left to right: Philip Hale of the Virginia Mining Institute; Bill Carroll; Bill Slone; Terry McClanahan; Todd Ward; Ethan Wibel; and Randy Moore of the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy. Front row from left to right: Will Altizer, Shannon Moore, Caleb Schoeff and Chris Turner.