Mine Rescue secures new facility as new recruitment drive approaches
Mount Isa Mines has upgraded its Mine Rescue facility in time for this year’s recruitment program.
Mine Rescue plays a crucial role in our emergency management approach across our Mount Isa Mines and George Fisher Mine operations, providing fast response capabilities to incidents across site around the clock.
The new and improved structure spans over 225 square metres, compared to the previous 160 square metres facility.
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The new Mine Rescue building.
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Interior storage for emergency vehicles provide easier access for a quicker response.
The larger floor space means that the Mine Rescue team has more room for training and equipment, as well as an internal carport for their emergency vehicles.
Construction of the new building began in June 2021 and it was opened to the team in November 2021.
The new equipment space stores 30 breathing apparatuses.
The building was moved from its previous location at R62 as part of the progressive relocation of a number of surface assets, infrastructure and personnel to allow for mining of the Black Rock orebody.
Mine Rescue Supervisor, Ron Pippenbacher says the new location at May Downs Clean In Clean Out (CICO) facility now provides the team with much easier access to support George Fisher Mine.
The Mine Rescue team respond to a multitude of incidents across our Mount Isa and George Fisher operations.
“This new building will also provide enhanced learning spaces for the 2022 new recruit program,” Ron says.
“The new recruits tackle a five-week rookie-training program, consisting of a fitness assessment, practical assessments and knowledge-based tests.”
In the physical assessment, new recruits need to complete a series of rigorous tasks within 22 minutes.
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New recruits complete a rigorous 5-week training program before joining the team.
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Anyone who is fit, healthy, wanting to enrich their career and assist those in need is encouraged to apply.
It begins with a 200-metre walk, followed by shovel-filling a 200-litre drum with gravel, repeatedly carrying a 25-kilogram weight up and down a flight of stairs, moving 20 x 20-kilogram bricks from point A to point B, moving 10 x 20-kilogram bricks through a 1-metre high tunnel and carefully walking over a three-metre debris pile five times over.
To make it even more challenging, the recruits must wear full uniform including a breathing apparatus backpack for the entire assessment.
The new recruits in September 2021. Back row (left to right): Peter Walker, Sam Denlay, Ryan Maher, Anthony Hay and Matt Kenyon. Front row (left to right): Blair Routhan, Caleb Zappala and Matti Rumbalu.
In September of 2021, Mount Isa Mines welcomed its latest round of new recruits, with nine dedicated employees joining the team.
Anyone who is fit, healthy, wanting to enrich their career or assist those in need is encouraged to apply.
The first round of rookie courses will run from 23 May 2022 to 24 June 2022 and the second will run from 8 August 2022 to 9 September 2022.
For more information, contact Mine Rescue Supervisors Ron Pippenbacher or Ron Pickering.