Over the last few posts I have been critical of the processes used in the mine rescue & have been for sometime in the processes used across the board in New Zealand.
That is not, as has been happening, a criticism of the people involved in the rescue of the miners.
First the CEO of the mine company has been brilliant & you can see it hurts him. As the original mine manager he has been responsible for hiring most of the people & design including safety. He has stood up & done what he has too.
Next is the Police commander. I am not sure the process is right but he is doing a great job. On his shoulders rest the decision to risk more people's lives. Not something that is easy.
There has been a lot of criticism in particular of the police commander. Some of that has come from people with family in the mine. That is just part of the frustration & stress with people needing an outlet.
As my family come from South Westland it was always on the cards that many would know the people in the mine especially since many of our whanau now reside in Hoki(Hokitika) or Grey(Greymouth) whilst many others like myself live 'over the hill'(as the Southern Alps are referred too). With the Australian Foreign Minister adding another term used in Australasia saying they would help where they could since it was only across the 'ditch'(better known as the Tasman sea).
Well overnight came the news that one of my cousins son in law was one of those trapped. Not that I know them. In this part of the world it does not take much to have a connection to an event. Whilst the rest of the world talks about the six degress of seperation, NZ talks about two degrees.
All Nine Alive: The Dramatic Mine Rescue That Inspired and Cheered a Nation
So whilst the people involved should not be criticized it is the process that comes under the spotlight.
One expert has said it has been mentioned that with all they know these disasters should not happen. But they do & that they are expected is shown by the preparations including having mine rescue teams.
One thing that guides people is experience. Now the report into the Strongman mine explosion was raised yesterday where once it was realized miners were still down the mine, miners kept going back in collapsing from gas or lack of oxygen, recovering then re entering the mine.
As an ex soldier I can understand that as it just cuts against the grain to sit & do nothing when you can be helping especially when it is your mates involved. I know soldiers still get frustrated everytime there is a situation such as the earthquake especially here in Christchurch. You sit in the barracks wanting to do what you can, but too often the powers that be do not want the military involved as they are scared they will take over. That was expressed to me post the earthquake by a member of civil defence.
But that experience & the fact that rescuers have been lost or caused explosions would be a fact to consider.
Nova: Emergency Mine Rescue
The part of the report they didn't read out was how they found most if not all the miners had survived the explosion but died due to gas.
With todays mine set up that is encouraging as they did not then have areas to head too. Again as happened in Baghdad the gas explosion only killed by causing buildings to collapse. Those standing in front though were badly burnt & needed urgent medical assistance. So it will depend on a persons position in relation to the explosion as to their survival.
Another thing to consider even close to the explosion is the pressure wave from an explosion. It can cause injury but it can also knock someone to safety or to the ground missing the worst. The wave precedes the rest of the explosion. It can be seen on a large scale through footage of aerial bombing.
1882 Colliery Explosion Volunteers Rescue Mine Lift Art
Of course the question been asked is with all the improvements in equipment & technology why isn't there something for example like a robot that can enter these situations immediately or as suggested before a portable extraction system for resucers to move in with them? Maybe idea can be worked on in light of this incident.
In light of that the New Zealand military tried to assist with one of its bomb disposal robots. It failed. Two issues here are we are now down a bomb disposal robot & more importantly successive governments have cut funding so much that it is common for NZ military equipment to break down(especially when it is a flight for the PM) & most of it is held together by gaffer tape & chewing gum.
National Mine-rescue and First-aid Conference Pittsburgh
But it is the processes that are going to be under the biggest question.
As irritating as some of the questions from international media have been with some being deemed inappropriate they are asking questions that need to be often asked.
But as said in previous posts the NZ mindset will have a lot of inquiries which in the end say nothing or just simply blame the miners. The terms of the inquries though going on past experience will not answer those hard questions that are been asked now. So to say it is inappropriate whilst maybe right is the excuse that those above the people dealing with the incident to not include them in any terms.
It is the process that needs to change. From a slow to react mindset back to one that is dynamic with solutions.
CO?-absorption characteristics of mine rescue breathing apparatus
Whilst this incident has been on going almost missed has been the downgrading of the outlook of the NZ economy( It actually didn't make the main news broadcasts until at least 12 hours after it was announced). Now with the actions been taken by the US the likely outcome of the worlds financial system meltdown will be fast.
Anywhere like NZ who now takes forever to react to situations will loose out.
Frustrations such as those building on the West Coast & at a slower rate here in Christchurch will boil over resulting in more unrest, crime & possible break down in society. It is already starting overseas & what triggers it could be anything.
Seems we have forgot the most important thing in any equation is the people.
http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz
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