Doe Run Rescue Team Wins Championship
ST. LOUIS — The Doe Run Company’s two mine rescue teams recently earned the highest honors at competitive mine rescue contests.
The Gray Team won the overall championship at the Northern Regional Mine Rescue Contest. The event consisted of various competitions that tested eight mine rescue teams’ abilities to handle emergency situations underground.
“We’re proud to be among some of the best mine rescue teams in the country,” said Wayne Marlin, captain of the Gray Team. “There is a lot of history and experience on the team, as well as a desire to teach others. Some of us have been doing this for 25 years, and we continue to add new team members to share the knowledge and experience of our team.”
In addition, Doe Run’s Gray Team won the first aid competition, consisting of a CPR and first-responder scenario.
The team finished in second place in the field competition, which measures how well team members adhere to mine rescue procedures during a simulated mine emergency.
The Gray Team also earned third place in the team technical test, which measures participants’ expertise in operating breathing apparatuses and gas-level monitoring.
The Maroon Team won the overall championship at the Colorado Regional Mine Rescue Contest. The Maroon Team also finished in first place in the mine rescue competition and in third place in the first aid competition.
Current members of Doe Run’s Gray Team include: Chris Brawley, James Gamblin, Randy Hill, Dennis Keene, Wayne Marlin, Garry Moore, Robby Vetter, Jake Vogel, Charlie Walker and Nathan Woods. The Maroon Team includes: Steve Setzer, Andrew Hampton, Isaiah Henseler, Jarred Tackett, Richie Brewer, Jake Piatt, Nathan Setzer, Luke Davis, Mark Barton and Branden Roderman.
Doe Run’s mine rescue teams participate in voluntary training for at least eight hours per month and compete in mine rescue competitions annually. The teams consistently place near the top at regional and national mine rescue competitions, and have successfully applied these skills in real emergencies.
Doe Run mine rescuers Andrew Hampton, Randy Hill, Wayne Marlin and Steve Setzer, along with former members Brad Beck and Shawn Pratt, received a Certificate of Honor from Washington D.C. at the Joseph A. Holmes Safety Association annual meeting for their exceptional work during a real emergency that occurred in 2010. After a truck fire broke out in the No. 29 Mine, Doe Run evacuated workers and activated its skilled mine rescue teams, who handled the situation.
“Mine rescue competitions and practice challenges are excellent predictors of success in the field, but acting successfully in real situations is the ultimate test,” said Steve Batts, vice president – Southeast Missouri operations at Doe Run. “We thank our mine rescuers for their dedication to safety underground.”
Doe Run’s underground lead mines in Viburnum Trend have earned the National Mining Association’s prestigious Sentinels of Safety Award 27 times since 1971.
