Under the direction of first-time captain, Sara Spokes, Bengalla won three exercises including:

• Vertical Rescue 
• Fire Fighting
• Road Rescue

During the Road Rescue exercise, assessors deliberately stood-down Sara to see how the Bengalla team would function without her leadership and calming influence. Pleasingly, stand-in captain, Andrew Clydesdale stepped-up and guided the team to victory.

Bengalla Mine General Manager Cam Halfpenny said the sites rescue capability has significantly improved over the past few years.

“Previously, we had 13 employees who could be relied upon in the event of a mine rescue. That number has now swelled to 30,” Mr Halfpenny said.

“This is a fantastic outcome for Bengalla and is the result of a lot of hard work by Beth Viertel, the Emergency Response Team Manager. 

“It also means Bengalla is self-sufficient for mines rescue. 

“The Mines Rescue Competition is a wonderful breeding ground for potential future leaders. 

“Thank you to everyone involved. I know it takes a lot of commitment outside of normal work time – well done.”