Last Friday, a group of Prairie State miners completed advanced firefighting training at Southeastern Illinois College (SIC). In the coming weeks, all Prairie State mine employees will complete this training. This effort goes above and beyond the fire extinguisher training required by the Mine Safety and Health Administration.
For these training exercises, SIC utilizes an above-ground facility that is similar to one section of an underground mine. This building allows miners to practice following a lifeline by simulating the visibility one would have in a smoke-filled mine. The facility also supplies live burn props, which gives miners a chance to train on fire hose operation and foam application under controlled conditions.
Through these training efforts, our employees show their commitment to safety, for which Prairie State thanks them