Cape Breton's Magazine

they really concentrate on mostly is your blood pressure. I think it's great protec? tion for the people involved. They're mak? ing sure that you're up for it. In other words, that you're calm, you're not excit? able, and that your endurance is good. You never know what type of work you'll have to be doing there. It might be strenuous. And I don't think you could work under those conditions if you weren't in the con? dition, if your pressure was up. Before we entered the mine, they gave us a briefing. Mostly to the captain, and we're standing by. I think at that time the gen? tleman that gave us the briefing was the head of the company. He said, "There's no life involved, at the time, but there's a possibility the fire's out of control. But," he said, "I want you men to know, I'd rather lose the whole mine than lose one of you men on this team, or any other team that will enter that mine. So take it with caution and be very careful." Then he went on with the briefing. He told us where about the fire would be, and actual? ly what to look for, testing for gases, how far the fire's out of control, and what area. And what would be the best place possibly to extinguish the fire. So we were to bring back this information. We go in. We travelled into the mine--in the rake--we had to travel for about 45 minutes to get to our destination, I think. It's a submarine mine, as you know, and I think our destination was maybe 5 miles un? derground, maybe 5 miles and a half. (So you're riding a rake, heading toward a fire. And you really don't know what you're.,,.) No, at that time we don't know what we're going to face. (What are you talking about?) Well at that time, we're The Mine Rescue Team travels the mine, the captain testing for gases (left) and with a probe • a wood cane tipped with brass or copper • testing the roof and sides. One hand on the stone, he strikes and vibration tells whether it is solid or loose. When the team stops, the men are ordered to kneel, to rest. Com? mands are given by a horn. He can't talk. Breathing under ( MIL oxy- he has to breathe slow and deep, heavier out than in. *'n not actually talking about anything, I talk personally about myself as an individ? ual, the first thing I'm thinking: I checked out my breathing apparatus, made sure mechanical A-1. I was always confi? dent that I was always physically fit. Why I say this, because I always made sure I had two medicals a year when I was on mine rescue. And I always did test my endurance, even before I was on it; because I have a habit, I always work out personally, my? self, I keep physically fit. So the big thing at that time is to make sure that all my breathing apparatuses are 1007o me? chanically. In this way I pretty well--I get a high from that. But at that time, you'd be surprised, things were pretty qui? et, nobody's actually saying anything. (You don't think that this could be your last ride?) No, you don't--you're trained to a point that you have to discipline We Buy & We Sell and We're as Near as your Telephone Sid's Used Furniture 436 Charlotte St, Sydney . 564-6123 "Famous for nothing" (If it's good enough for Ann Landers, it's good enough for me.) GEORGE'S ENTERPRISES & LAUNDROMAT, BADDECK NEWLY ENLARGED. LICENSED RESTAURANT OPEN ALL YEAR 'ROUND Harbour Restaurant Children's .Portions Try Our Butterscotch Pie Scott's Hardware 464 Prince St., Sydney (564-6401) Service Centre on Cape Breton Island for Sunbeam & Canadian General Electric Small Appliances Tdtphom (902) 224-2042 Take Out and Diet Dishes on request - We Service - Irons Vacuum Cleaners Toasters' Frypans Locksmithing a Specialty Hairdryers Blenders (53)