Kinross Fort Knox recently created a Fire Brigade team comprised of 20 employees from emergency services teams who have been trained in managing hazards associated with fire safety.
The team was created after identifying potentially-delayed response times from local municipal fire departments due to the remoteness of the mine, and difficulty accessing specific locations.
As a result, a select group of employees from each mine shift was given training on fire prevention and extinguishing. This included identifying potential causes, fire hose and breathing-apparatus training, operating a fire truck and first-aid associated with smoke inhalation.
“Continuous Improvement is something we strive for in every aspect of our business, most importantly on how to keep our people safe,” said Keith Arens, Health and Safety Manager, Fort Knox. “Emergency response planning and training prepares our team to respond to an emergency and ensure the safety of our people and our assets. I appreciate the hard work and dedication from our emergency response teams in gaining this necessary skill.”
Across our operations, Kinross’ Fire Brigade teams play an important role in loss prevention, risk management, and keeping our people and our assets safe.
Members of the Fort Knox Fire Brigade after their training day
Team members work together to extinguish a fire from a distance
Team members work in two’s to extinguish a fire up-close