Published: August 7, 2018 |

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant's Mine Rescue Team
[Click image to enlarge]

A veteran mine rescue team member at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant achieved national recognition for his contributions to the team as a trainer, and was inducted into the National Mine Rescue Hall of Fame.

Richard “Stik” West’s induction came on the heels of WIPP’s team competing in the National Mine Rescue Competition in Lexington, Kentucky, per a Monday news release from Nuclear Waste Partnership (NWP) — the contractor that oversee daily operations at the plant.

West served as the team’s trainer for the past 14 years, with the team winning three national titles.

West himself won 10 team trainer awards during his career.

At this year’s nationals, he tied for first and finished second after a tie breaker.

He competed in his first mine rescue contest in 1982, and went on to receive 22 first-place awards in the bench contest, including a national championship, read the release.

“We’ve all known for years how lucky we are to have Stik as our team trainer, and we’re thrilled that he has been recognized nationally as being among the best of the best,” said Bruce Covert, NWP president.

“He is very deserving of this recognition. I also want to congratulate members of all our mine rescue teams. They represent the company, DOE and the project extremely well. I cannot think of a more qualified group of employees who are prepared to answer the call in the event of a mine emergency.”

First starting his mining career in 1979, West’s teams won national titles in 1994, 2014 and 2016.

He serves on the National Mine Rescue Rules Committee, and is a former president and current director of the Southwest Region Association, winning the national title in the bench competition in 2000.

Mine rescue competitions are designed to test the skills of those called to respond to mine emergencies, while also sharpening their skills.

At nationals in Kentucky, WIPP teams competed in multiple competitions, finishing in or near the top five in all categories, read the release.

Forty-two teams competed this year at the national competition.

WIPP’s Red and Blue teams finished in second and fifth place, respectively in the first aid competition, and WIPP Blue finished fifth in the mine rescue field competition.

The field competition sees team members working to solve two hypothetical problems, on two separate days while being observed by judges.

In the team technician competition, where WIPP Red placed sixth, two-person teams have 30 minutes to inspect a Drager BG-4 rebreather unit and an MX-6 multigas detector, hoping to find any malfunctions of “bugs” placed in the units.

“Congratulations to Richard “Stik” West on his induction last week into the National Mine Rescue Hall of Fame. What an incredible achievement,” Covert said.

“Also, congratulations to our mine rescue teams for your showing at the National Mine Rescue Competition in Lexington, Kentucky.”

Source: Carlsbad Current Argus

To stop by WIPP’s website, CLICK HERE

Be in-the-know when you’re on-the-go!