by Dr. Adrian Cohen.

published in the Spring 2011 edition of the Australasian Mine Safety Journal

The first part of this article is easy: here’s a list of standard equipment for a mine ambulance:

• Paramedic Field Pack
• Stretcher
• Spinal set (CombiCarrier, headed, cervical collars)
• Extrication device (KED/RED)
• Limb splint set
• Oxygen C and D size cylinders
• AED

and here’s a list for a mine rescue vehicle:

• Turn out gear sets incl. boots/helmets
• BA sets complete with harness and mask
• Tally board
• Rope rescue packs
• Rescue tripod
• Vehicle rescue tools
• Glass management kit
• Vehicle airbags
• Hydraulic diesel pump
• Vehicle stabilisation Kit
• Fire suppression system

Like most things in the industry, these “things’ are easy: capex expenses, three quotes, preferred suppliers etc.

What’s not so easy is the CRUCIAL element without which none of the rest of this gear is worth a cent: the PEOPLE who make it work. The “necktop” computers, “meatware” for the hardware, the Human Resources that every mine operator knows are the essential ingredient in the Emergency Response pie.

So perhaps the question is equally WHO you need, as well as what.

Firstly, you’re going to need a Paramedic. And preferably one cross-trained in ERT skills so that they form a valuable part of the overall response team. But what’s a Paramedic, and how do you know a good one?

Any risk assessment of the resources industry will tell you that you need an Advanced Life Support Paramedic with a Diploma or Bachelor of Science and clinical experience. The Emergency Services Registry of Australasia (www.esra.com.au) was created to provide a reliable and consistent framework to credential paramedics and other rescue personnel: you need an ESRA Level 5 Paramedic.

Remember too that there are no “solo” paramedics: they must remain part of a continuum of care, commencing with a Medical Director, Clinical Governance Model, case-review, legally compliant medical record-keeping, insurance coverage, professional development and support.

Now, for the Emergency Services Officers (ESOs). Your risk assessment should again differentiate that the best people for this job are ones who do it for a living: career professionals who bring experience from civilian and military agencies to the resources environment. Your existing volunteer ERT personnel can play an important part of the overall response.

The necessary competencies are found in the Resource Industry Training Package RII30709: Certificate III in Mine Emergency Response and Rescue. They include sixteen units of competency made up of five mandatory units and eleven elective units.

Mandatory Units of Competency

1. HLTFA301B Apply first aid
2. RIICOM201A Communicate in the workforce
3. RIIOHS201A Work safely and follow OHS policies and procedures
4. RIIRIS201A Conduct local risk control
5. either
   RIIQUA201A Maintain and monitor site quality standards
   RIIGOV201A Comply with site work processes/procedures (Coal)

Elective Units of Competency

1. HLTFA402B Apply advanced first aid PMAOHS211B Prepare equipment for emergency response PMAOMIR444B Develop incident containment tactics
2. PUAAMS007B Coordinate search and rescue operations PUAFIR207B Operate breathing apparatus open circuit PUAFIR306B Render hazardous materials incidents safe
3. PUAFIR307B Monitor hazardous atmospheres PUASAR002B Undertake road accident rescue PUASAR004B Undertake vertical rescue
4. PUASAR005B Undertake confined space rescue PUASAR008B Search as a member of a land search team RIIERR201A Conduct fire team operations
5. RIIERR205A Apply initial response First Aid RIIERR301A Respond to mine incident RIIERR302A Respond to local emergencies and incidents
6. RIIERR303A Operate in self-contained regenerative oxygen breathing apparatus RIIERR304A Control emergencies and critical situations RIIERR305A Control underground fires
7. RIIERR306A Conduct underground search RIIERR307A Extricate casualties from underground incident RIIERR308A Extricate and transport people involved in incidents
8. RIIERR309A Establish and operate from fresh air base RIIERR310A Provide support for rescue operations RIIRIS301A Apply risk management processes

These qualifications are also ratified by the Emergency Services Registry Australasia (ESRA) www.esra.com.au

Now that the specifications for your team are set, and they have the right equipment, you are poised to perform well in the ERT environment. Provided that you make sure to provide plenty of opportunities for training your team, and once or twice a year you provided a realistic exercise to assess their skills (and those of the people around them as part of your Incident Management Planning).

In summary then, the equation looks like this:

Hardware (equipment and vehicles) + Humans (Level 5 Paramedics + career professional ESOs) = ERT Best Practice

reproduced with permission from APRS Pty. Ltd