SOUTH CROFTY HEAD FRAME IN MOCK RESCUE

THE head frame of South Crofty mine in Redruth was an invaluable asset last week as it became a training ground for local fire fighters.

It proved the ideal location for the officers of Camborne fire station’s red watch to practice their rope rescue skills.

Working over 100 feet above the ground seven officers spent two hours rescuing a dummy, which was slumped over one of the iron girders that make up the frame, under the tuition of Cornwall Fire Brigade’s training officer who specializes in rope rescue, Steve Veale.

“This is the perfect place for an exercise like this,” said officer Veale. “I am very grateful to David Stone and Kevin Williams of Baseresult for allowing us to use the head frame.

Officer Veale explained that the officers’ task was to lower one man on ropes to the accident sight to secure and assess the casualty. A second officer was then lowered to the spot with a stretcher, together they were to put the casualty in the stretcher and then the team lowered it to the ground.

Officer Veale said: “We do use a variety of locations because when it comes to doing the job for real the more varied the experience the team has had the easier they will find it, but South Crofty’s head frame is the perfect place because it has so many obstacles.

“With this particular rescue the officers cannot just lower the casualty to the floor. They have to move the stretcher horizontally first and that is great training.”

The fire officers were accompanied by South Crofty Safety Officer, Dr Keith Russ, who is a member of the volunteer Cornwall Mine Rescue Team.

Dr Russ explained that although this was just an exercise it was very similar to a real incident that occurred at the nearby Robinson’s Shaft in 1983.

On that occasion mine manager, George Curtis fell 150ft down a shaft landing across a plank. Although seriously injured he was rescued by fellow miners and survived.

“Seeing the dummy across that girder is uncannily like what took place in Robinson’s Shaft,” explained Dr Russ. “The only difference was that accident happened hundreds of feet down and in the dark.

“Accidents do happen and it’s reassuring to see how accomplished these officers are at rope rescue,” said Dr Russ.

With the mine due to start extracting tin again in the near future - once Cornwall County Council has agreed the Review of Mineral Planning Permissions (ROMPs) application that was first submitted by Baseresult Holdings Ltd, the owners of the mine, three and half years ago – updating mine rescue skills is clearly an important exercise.

“We are delighted to offer South Crofty as a training facility to local fire officers,” said David Stone, Baseresult’s Technical Director.  “They are due to come back in September.”

                                                                                                            28 April 2006