Ontario Mine Rescue teaches Zambian delegates about hosting a competition

CTV News

27-05-2025

A group of mine rescue workers is in Sudbury this week to learn the ins and outs of putting on a major mine rescue competition.
Eighteen mining professionals from Zambia are in Sudbury this week learning how to host a mine rescue competition.
The group is being taught by Ontario Mine Rescue at Workplace Safety North.
Zambia mine rescue
Eighteen mining professionals from Zambia are in Sudbury this week learning how to host a mine rescue competition.
(Amanda Hicks/CTV News)
'They are here just to wrap their head around: how do you organize a mine rescue competition and the planning process and all that goes into hosting?' said Shawn Rideout, Ontario Mine Rescue chief mine rescue officer and lead instructor.
'Essentially, what is an international mock emergency?'
The group is primarily emergency response workers, as well as a public relations officer and a medical doctor. Rideout said the group is here to learn about hosting large competitions.
'What they're unfamiliar with is the actual planning process,' he said.
'So, everything that goes into hosting essentially 26 to 28 mine rescue teams from around the world.'
Zambia will host the International Rescue Competition in April 2026, the first time the event is being held in Africa.
'We want to do the best we can'
Christopher Chileshe, manager of training and development at Mopani Copper Mines, also runs the training centre where most of the competition will be held.
'There's a lot of expectation and obviously a lot of nervousness, as well, because we don't want to embarrass the company. We don't want to embarrass the government. We don't want to embarrass the continent,' Chileshe said.
'We want to do the best we can. And the only way to get this is preparation. So, we really see this visit here as key to everything that we do.'
He said there is a lot of pressure to get everything done right.
'The president is being made aware now that there was this thing happening. That's like an Olympic-scale event, even though it's just one sector in mining,' Chileshe said.
'At the end of the day, mining is the biggest sector in the country, you know, so anything to do with mining is of national importance.'
Monday was the first day of training, and Chileshe said it has been helpful so far.
Lots of work ahead
'I think just from this visit today, we know we are talking some pretty serious expertise here and a lot of what (Rideout) has already shared with us tells us there's a lot of work to do,' he said.
'We will make sure that we kind of just keep with that ethos of just keeping the competition getting better and better year on year. So, yes, we are in the right place, that is for sure.'
Ontario Mine Rescue hosted an international competition of its own in 2016, hosting 13 nations and 27 teams.
The organization frequently establishes similar competitions on a smaller scale.
'You have teams from China and Germany and South Africa and Australia,' Rideout said.
Organizers have to do everything from book hotels and meeting spaces to ensuring there are food and beverages.
'Then the main event which is the mock emergency,' he said.
'So, setting that event up in a realistic atmosphere. So, they're leaning towards hosting it underground as we did in 2016. So setting up a mine that can host that scale of event and host that many people.'
Ontario Mine Rescue also is a sitting board member of the International Mine Rescue Board.
'Just recently we were over in Poland and we put together an IMC, so International Mine Rescue Competition rules committee,' Rideout said.
'So, what we're going to do is write a standardized set of rules. So, countries moving forward that host the event … have a starting point -- they're not starting from scratch.'
The group will be in the northeast for the next two and a half weeks. They will be in Timmins next week for the provincial competition.
Chileshe said for some, it's their first time visiting Canada.
'We weren't sure what to expect,' he said.
'We've loved what we've seen here. You know, the people seem lovely. That's been great. And the weather's been kind as well, you know? So, it's just been lovely.'