The 2025 Northern Mine Rescue Competition takes place on Saturday, featuring teams from northern mines competing to be the best in a series of events.
The public is invited to watch the competition on from 8:30am-3pm in the parking lot of Yellowknife’s multiplex.
There will be a free barbecue lunch from noon to 2pm. The Miners’ Picnic will have hamburgers, hot dogs and refreshments free of charge. There will also be family-friendly activities set up in the parking lot.
Norm Ladouceur, co-chair of the the Northern Mining Health and Safety Forum that hosts the event, said the event is an opportunity for teams to show their capabilities to the community and industry – that they’re ready to respond “should anything bad happen.”
“Every miner that works up north has a spouse or children or family in the community, and they need to rest assured that their loved ones are being taken care of,” he said.
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Seven teams will be competing in events including firefighting, rope rescue, first aid, surface and underground tests and obstacle courses. The part of the competition featuring real fire took place separately on Friday.
Sheila Chernys, the other co-chair, said attendees will see each of the mine teams essentially executing actual scenarios.
“There’ll be judges actually formally judging how the team is doing with that exercise,” she said.
Ladouceur said there will be a mock mine for the underground mine teams.
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“Obviously, there is no underground that we can actually do the emergency, but we will have walls to pretend that they’re drifts or a ramp. Smoke will be possibly black plastic, or even theatrical smoke,” he said.
“The other important thing is that we try and make it as realistic as possible without actually having an emergency.
“You will see equipment that they actually use underground – the breathing apparatus, for example. There’ll be jaws of life, extrication equipment, lifting bags, possibly firefighting equipment.”
Ladouceur cautioned the scenarios are meant to be very realistic, complete with theatrical blood, and that actors will play the parts of victims of serious accidents.
“Kids may be scared because some of the patients might get very vocal, and you can imagine what it’s like for a miner underground to be trapped. He’ll be yelling and screaming,” he said.
Participating teams are:
- Agnico Eagle Meliadine Gold Mine (Nunavut)
- Burgundy Diamond Mines Ekati Diamond Mine (NWT)
- De Beers Group/Mountain Province Diamonds Gahcho Kué Diamond Mine (NWT)
- Rio Tinto Diavik Diamond Mine (NWT)
- Agnico Eagle Meadowbank Gold Mine (Nunavut)
- Rio Tinto Iron Ore Company of Canada (Labrador)
Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items or financial donations for the Salvation Army.
Chernys said anyone who brings a donation will be entered into a draw with a chance to win prizes.
