The Lancashire Mines Rescue Service

GENERAL CONDUCT OF MINES RESCUE WORK.

Photograph on the right shows the Certificate given to Rescue Trainees on completion of the Initial Rescue Training Course at Rescue Stations since 1947. The NCB lapel badge was also given at the end of the training course. When there was an incident at a colliery and it was possible to close off all entry to that colliery, only authorized personnel were allowed to enter the colliery premises. When a part-time rescue worker had been called in and presented himself at a neighbouring colliery for emergency work underground, his lapel badge would act as sufficient ID to allow him to pass through the security. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GENERAL CONDUCT OF MINES RESCUE WORK. The general conduct of mines rescue work was organised within the overall structure of the National Emergency Plan, produced by the National Coal Board and later, British Coal. There were contingency plans for inter Area assistance, to cover every possible type of underground emergency situation. Every Area and every individual colliery, also had it’s own emergency organisation. At colliery level, the Manager of every mine had to formulate a “Colliery Emergency Plan”, to cover all eventualities to deal with any type of underground incident. The Colliery Emergency Plan, involved all the Heads of Departments, such as Undermanagers; Surface Foreman; Unit Mechanical and Electrical Engineers; Safety Engineer and Medical Staff. The Plan also included a list of people, who required to be notified in the event of an emergency. These included the District Inspector of Mines; various Union Officials; the Mines Rescue Station and the colliery part-time rescue men. As soon as the Colliery Manager was alerted to an emergency situation below ground, he would immediately set the Emergency Plan into action. All underground workmen, not involved with the incident would be withdrawn to the surface without delay. An Incident Control Room would be quickly organised and a Senior Official, would be appointed as "Controller". From that moment, all activity and procedure would go through the Controller. A Rescue Station Official would be in charge of the Colliery Rescue Room and would be in contact with the Surface Controller and the Rescue Station Official at the Fresh Air Base underground. As soon as a Doctor was in attendance, all rescue men would be medically examined before going underground to wear breathing apparatus. The first few teams, particularly if lives were at risk would always be sent underground without delay and thus, without a medical examination. After this, it was usual for teams to be organised on a 2-hourly basis and would continue in this way, until the incident had been successfully dealt with. There were no set rules in Mines Rescue Work, because there were never two incidents alike. All rescue activity underground with breathing apparatus was carried out from a Fresh Air Base under the control of a Rescue Official. Teams would be despatched from that base and would always return to the same base. The rescue personnel had to be prepared to make decisions on the spot, in light of the circumstances they were confronted with. There were some guiding principles, however, that were applied to every underground emergency, so that if the teams followed these, they would have carried out their full duties as colliery rescue men. There are only three and they are follows:- 1, - Recovery Of Survivors. The recovery of survivors was given priority over all other considerations. This may seem obvious but the emphasis was on “survivors”, and any dead personnel were left in situ until the end of the incident. This placed an enormous responsibility on the team captain, who in some cases had to decide between life and death. On the surface, only a Medical Doctor is qualified to make such a decision, but underground, wearing breathing apparatus in irrespirable atmosphere, the team captain never enjoyed the luxury of having a doctor at his side to make that type of decision. If the captain wasted time recovering a person who was obviously dead, he would have been severely criticised. Nothing can be done for a person who is already dead, but an awful lot can be done for someone, probably injured but still alive and just a shorrt distance inbye. Bearing in mind that cap lamps, under normal conditions will only effectively illuminate about 10 yards ahead. Under emergency conditions with the presence of smoke and fumes this distance could be reduced to a couple of feet. The team would normally press on until all survivors had been recovered. When this moment arrived, the rescue teams would then move on to Duty No.2. 2. The Extinguishing Of Fires. An open fire underground, of any dimension was a potential danger to men and property. In all mines in the Lancashire Coalfield, as in most mines in the Country, there was an abundance of firedamp gas, which, in certain mixtures with normal atmospheric air, will explode. Explosions had to be prevented at all costs so all active flame had to be effectively extinguished. Since the early 1980's, everything sent for use underground was either fire proof or treated in such a way as to be fire resistant. The days of the large, extensive roadway fires was a thing of the past. Very often, after exploring following an explosion it was only minor fires such as clothing, hung at the roadside that was alight. These were quickly dealt with before moving forward in the affected district. It is one thing going into an area after an explosion has taken place, it would be horrendous to be there if a second one occurred. When all fires had been dealt with the team could then move on to task No. 3. 3. The Restoration Of Ventilation. The third and final task for the mines rescue teams was to attempt to put the affected parts of the mine, back to normal fresh air conditions. First aid measures, with temporary materials would be carried out, to repair damaged air seperation doors and aircrossings etc. to cause the ventilating air current to travel around the district in as near to normal speed and volume as possible. If this could be achieved, the involvement of the Rescue Service was very much reduced. The use of breathing apparatus would no longer be required and the vast majority of the rescue workers could then be stood down. The necessary repair work could, then be properly done, by the ordinary, everyday colliery workforce. In practice, however a rescue team would normally accompany colliery workmen, brought in to act as stretcher bearers to remove any dead personnel. The exact location of these would be clearly noted before removal. The dead bodies would be taken to the surface, where they would immediately become police property. A suitable place would be cleared so that the bodies could be laid out for identification. Basic Team Equipment. Whenever a rescue team, equipped with self-contained breathing apparatus left a fresh-air-base, under oxygen, there were certain items of additional equipment that had to be carried. The Team Captain would have a watch to check on the agreed time for the team’s return to the base and a Plan of the mine, with the route to travel, clearly marked and the following equipment would be spread amongst the team to be carried :- 1. – A “Furley” type stretcher and blanket. 2. – A “First Aid Box”. 3. – A box containing air sampling equipment. 4. – A complete set of Oxygen Reviving Apparatus, 5. - Teams using “Proto” apparatus, would also carry an Emergency Cylinder complete with main union spanner. If the team were travelling to a fixed location in the mine, where a succession of teams had previously worked, then all the above items would have been positioned at an “Advanced Base” by the first team on the job so that subsequent teams could travel light. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------