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Goldfields Mine Emergency Response Competitions

The Goldfields Mine Emergency Rescue Competition started in the Goldfields in 1903, with regular competitions taking place from 1911.

The competitions play an integral part in mine site emergency training, offering competing teams the opportunity to test and hone their emergency response skills through simulated emergency situations while sharing their experience and knowledge with fellow participants.

CME and the Mine Emergency Rescue Competition Committee host two mine competitions each year, the Surface Mine Emergency Rescue Competition (SMERC) in April/May and the Underground Mine Emergency Rescue Competition (UMERC) in November.

Teams compete in multiple events, including:

  • Firefighting (SMERC)
  • Vehicle Extrication (SMERC)
  • Search and Rescue (UMERC)
  • Breathing Apparatus Skills (UMERC)
  • Theory
  • Team Skills
  • Rope Rescue
  • Overall First Aid
  • Incident Management

The competitions attract 10-15 competing teams from the Goldfields region, more than 40 local sponsors, and more than 100 industry volunteers!

Learn more about the competition from former SMERC competitor Victoria Putter here.

Follow our MERC Facebook Page here.

Follow our MERC LinkedIn Page here.

For competition enquiries please contact Karlee on merc@cmewa.com.

Underground Mining Emergency Response Competition Winners
  • Best team – 1st place – Evolution
  • Best team – 2nd place – Northern Star Resources – Kalgoorlie Operations
  • Best team –3rd place - Anglo Gold Ashanti– Tropicana
  • Best New Team – Evolution
  • Best Captain – Nicholas Winner (Evolution)
  • Best New Captain –Nicholas Winner (Evolution)
  • Search & Rescue – Evolution
  • Rope Rescue – Northern Star Resources – Kalgoorlie Operations
  • First Aid –Evolution
  • Fire Fighting – Evolution
  • Theory –Norton Goldfields
  • Team Skills – Evolution
  • Overall First Aid – Anglo Gold Ashanti – Tropicana
  • Breathing Apparatus Skills – Northern Star Resources – KCGM
  • Team Safety – Northern Star Resources – Kalgoorlie Operations
  • Incident Management Richard Mackiewicz – Anglo Gold Ashanti – Tropicana
  • Team Overall BA Skills– Evolution
  • Theory Individual – Cameron Brown – Northern Star Resources – KCGM
  • Chief Adjudicators Award – Goldfields – Jess Bennett

Photos from previous Mining Emergency Response Competitions

The competitions attract 10-15 competing teams from the Goldfields region, more than 40 local sponsors (listed below), and more than 100 industry volunteers.

Awards Night Northern Star and Evolution Mining
Competition Momento Orica
Welcoming Evening Off Road Trucks Australia
Competition Shirt- FRONT Northern Star
Competition Shirt- SLEEVE Hudson Pristine Engineering
Competition Shirt- SLEEVE Operational Geotechs
Competition Stubby Holder FFRE
Yearbook St Barbara Leonora
Competition Cap  Core HS
Best team – FIRST PLACE Gastech
Best Team – SECOND PLACE PWR
Best Team – THIRD PLACE Interfire Agencies
Best Team – BEST NEW TEAM FRSA
Best Team – TEAM SAFETY DMIRS
Best Team – OVERALL BA SKILLS Draeger
Best Team – OVERALL FIRST AID Red Earth Health
Event – BREATHING APPARATUS ISH24
Event – FIRE FIGHTING Minetech
Event – FIRST AID Med Response and Trauma Sim
Event – ROPE RESCUE Archer Access
Event – SEARCH & RESCUE WEST rescue
Event – INCIDENT MANAGEMENT Ansell
Event – THEORY Tasman Safety and Training Services
Event – TEAM SKILLS Gold Fields
Individuals – BEST CAPTAIN Baseline Group
Individuals – BEST NEW CAPTAIN SETS Enterprises
Individuals – BEST SCENARIO H L Geospacial
Individuals – CHIEF ADJUDICATOR Murchison Mining
Individuals – THEORY Australasian Response Group
In Kind Sponsors Minetech
In Kind Sponsors Goldfields Physio
In Kind Sponsors  BOC
In Kind Sponsors Fire Suppression Australia
In Kind Sponsors industryFX
In Kind Sponsors RemoteMS
In Kind Sponsors Australasian Response Group
In Kind Sponsors MineARC
In Kind Sponsors Western Pathology
In Kind Sponsors FRSA
In Kind Sponsors Emyjor