Britannia Beach, BC – The 2024 BC Provincial Mine Rescue and First Aid Competition will take place on Friday, June 7 and Saturday, June 8 at Britannia Mine Museum, 50km north of Vancouver, on the Sea-to-Sky highway.
This annual competition, which started in 1958, is organized by the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation (EMLI) and the Mining Association of BC (MABC). It brings together mine rescue teams, volunteers and spectators from all over the province. Each team will push themselves to the limit, demonstrating their specialized mine rescue skills as they compete in surface and underground mine rescue events. Mine rescue team members are an elite group with specialized skills and training and serve as the mine’s fire department, paramedics and high angle rescue teams.
The mine rescue competition is an exciting event for competitors and spectators. Teams will compete in challenges testing their skills including firefighting, first aid and rope rescue in simulated conditions. It also shows how BC mining companies are working to safeguard the health and well-being not only of mine workers, but also the local communities where mines operate. This year’s event is set to be a fun weekend outing for everyone.
“Mining has sustained generations of British Columbians and is a cornerstone of community development, supporting people and prosperity across our province,” said Michael Goehring, President & CEO, Mining Association of BC. “The annual Mine Rescue and First Aid Competition ensures that British Columbia remains a world leader in mine health and safety practices. Protecting the health and safety of workers and ensuring everyone gets home safe at the end of the day to their families and friends is our industry’s highest priority.”
“We expect nine teams to compete, some travelling from as far away as the Dease Lake area. Safety is the top priority for BC’s mining operations, and every major mine operation is required to have a mine rescue team responsible for emergency response and rescue. Each year I continue to be amazed by the skills, aptitude and dedication of the teams,” Hermanus Henning, Chief Inspector of Mines, BC Government.
“We are delighted to host the 2024 Mine Rescue and First Aid Competition at Britannia Mine Museum. The Britannia Mine played a significant role in BC’s history and economy especially in the 1920s when it was one of the biggest copper mines in the world,” explains Cheryl Hendrickson, Executive Director of the Britannia Mine Museum. “Visitors to the Museum will still have opportunity to check out our lower site exhibits, including our ‘Rock Solid: Safety in Mines’ exhibit inside our Machine Shop.”
The “Rock Solid: Safety in Mines” exhibit is a captivating and immersive exploration of mine safety practices through time and their profound impact on the lives of miners and the mining industry as a whole.
Visitors to the Museum during the two-day event will have access to the lower site exhibits including the visitor centre and gift shop, as well as the gold panning area.
Full event details are below.
Date: Friday June 7 (underground event, limited public viewing access) & Saturday June 8
Time: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Friday) and 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Saturday)
Location: Britannia Mine Museum, 150 Copper Dr, Britannia Beach, BC V8B 1J1
Cost: Free
Website: https://www.britanniaminemuseum.ca/pages/bc-provincial-mine-rescue-first-aid-competition
About the Mining Association of British Columbia
MABC is the voice of the British Columbia’s steelmaking coal, metal and mineral producers, smelters and advanced development companies. Our industry benefits all British Columbians and supports more than 35,000 jobs and nearly 4,000 small, medium, and First Nation affiliated businesses in every corner of the province through an annual spend of $3.7 billion on goods and services. Our members’ products have among the lowest carbon footprints globally and are helping the world transition to a cleaner, low-carbon future; safely and responsibly.
About Britannia Mine Museum
The Britannia Mine Museum is a mining legacy site and a vibrant, internationally recognized education and tourist destination located between Vancouver and Whistler on the Sea-to-Sky highway. It is a National Historic Site and a non-profit organization encouraging mining awareness through entertaining, experiential education programs and exhibits, important historic collection preservation and insightful public engagement that allows guests to leave with a better understanding of mining in BC; past, present and future. www.britanniaminemuseum.ca
About the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation
The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation is a government ministry in British Columbia. It is responsible for overseeing the province’s electricity, alternative energy, hydrogen, oil, natural gas, mining and mineral exploration sectors. It also supports work to meet BC’s greenhouse gas reduction targets. The ministry aims to ensure a well-regulated, environmentally sound, and economically beneficial industry that advances reconciliation with Indigenous Nations and public confidence.
For Media Inquiries:
Jayne Czarnocki
Mining Association of BC
Cell: 778-957-2597
Email: jczarnocki@mining.bc.ca
Yvonne Chiang
Britannia Mine Museum
Cell: 604-880-5090
Email: ychiang@bcmm.ca
