Mines Rescue

Paramedics generally aren’t involved in commercial mines rescue. Paramedics provide paramedical assistance once a patient is out of a mine. Most mines have actual miners, who are specially trained (on top of their normal mining duties) to be able to provide mines rescue assitance if required.

Do any paramedics descend into a collapsed mine to provide rescue?

Generally, paramedics do not enter a mine shaft. However, in certain remoter areas, paramedics may have undergone specialist training to equip them with the skills required to safely be involved in mines rescue. A lot of mines rescue also involves actual engineers planning, and developing new mine shafts to reach the trapped miners and this is not a rescue paramedics responsibility, because it is such a unique and specialist job.

At some remote mine sites there is a paramedic who has been specially trained in mining rescue and may work with engineeers and geologists in order to plan and provide mines rescue.