Strengthening safety through collaboration
At a recent Mutual Aid Forum held in Cloncurry, representatives from regional mine sites and local Mount Isa and Cloncurry emergency services came together to strengthen partnerships, share expertise and enhance mutual aid capabilities across the region. The discussions reinforced a shared commitment to safety and continuous improvement.
The forum was established at the request of the Department of Mines to standardise mutual aid agreements and site access induction processes to ensure response efforts could be supported across different mine sites.
If teams are called to help out neighbouring operations, familiarisation with site layouts, resources and logistics are important to ensure rapid response action. Forum discussions emphasised the benefits of standardising equipment where possible to ensure compatibility and efficiency in mutual aid responses.
Using the same Original Equipment Manufacturer for safety equipment across all participating north west mines means visiting response teams are familiar with equipment at any site.
The Mount Isa Mines Mines Rescue team is trained to respond to multiple emergency scenarios. This is a simulated traffic incident where the team test their skills and response times.
The group also explored innovative tools and technology being adopted across the network, from MX3 advanced hydration testing to new rescue tools like R550, MPDs and Lucas devices.
Ongoing training is crucial and a CERT III in Emergency Response and Rescue is a pre-requisite to becoming a member of the Mines Rescue team. Maintaining high levels of emergency response competency remains a challenge, particularly for remote sites and those with varied shift patterns. To address this, sites are exploring opportunities to share training sessions and resources, allowing personnel to become familiar with neighbouring operations.
Participants acknowledged the limitations of external emergency services, particularly in underground environments. This underscores the importance of maintaining strong in-house capabilities and robust mutual aid partnerships.
Vertical rescue is a technique where our team trains for rescue missions using specialist vertical equipment.
Ron Pickering, Mount Isa Mines Mines Rescue Supervisor said, “the forum provided an invaluable opportunity to exchange learnings from recent emergency exercises and real-life incidents while allowing us to establish connections with the other Emergency Response Leaders in the region.”
“The forum reinforced that while every site faces unique challenges, collaboration is key. By sharing knowledge, training, and resources, we build a stronger, safer network, one that’s ready to respond effectively when it matters most,” says Ron.
Ron Pickering, Mines Rescue Supervisor, has been at the forefront of the Mount Isa Mines Mines Rescue Team for many years helping prepare for real life response efforts.