Rescuers will brave a mine fire and a collapsed roof to locate and rescue missing miners Wednesday and Thursday in Maysville, Kentucky. Fortunately, it’ll be a drill, not an emergency – part of the Mine Safety Health Administration’s (MSHA) fourth annual Southeast Region/Central Kentucky Mine Rescue Contest.

Metal and nonmetal teams from Kentucky, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, Missouri, Tennessee, Georgia and Kansas will compete in the event, testing their skills in field, technician and first-aid competitions.

In the field segment, five-member teams will be confronted with a mine emergency scenario, such as a fire, explosion or roof collapse. They’ll be required to search for and locate missing miners following accurate mine rescue procedures.

The technician competition will test the abilities of two-person teams to ensure that multi-gas and self-contained breathing devices are in proper working condition.

Teams participating in the first-aid division will have to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, control bleeding, and treat victims for shock, wounds, burns and musculoskeletal injuries.

The contest is co-sponsored by the MSHA, Carmeuse Lime and Stone and the Central Kentucky Mine Rescue Association.