Rescue Operations in Underground Mines: Caring for Patients in a Challenging Environment

Abstract

Introduction:Major injury incidents in underground metalliferous and mineral mines are rare, but if, e.g., a major fire would occur, it is the emergency medical service (EMS) together with the mining company and rescue service who perform the rescue operation. Therefore it is important to develop safe and efficient rescue operation procedures for all the organizations involved, especially the EMS personnel.Aim:To examine EMS personnel’s perceptions and experiences regarding underground mining incidents.Method:Individual interviews were performed with 13 Swedish EMS personnel. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed with qualitative content analysis.Results:The theme “providing the same care in a difficult environment” emerged. Depending on the type of incident, the EMS personnel considered if the injured mining workers could be cared for either outside or in the mine in order to access and care for the injured mining workers as quickly as possible. The EMS personnel mentioned that it was difficult to make the decision if they should enter the mine or not due to the uncertainty of their safety. They also considered that it could be harder to accomplish the same level of care as in other incidents due to the difficult environment. In some instances, they cannot drive their ambulance vehicles into the mine, so they have to prioritize which equipment to bring as well as consider how to transport the patients.Discussion:The results identify some of the difficulties the EMS find challenging. Therefore the results could be used in finding solutions and making the EMS prepared for an effective and timely response for injured in underground mines.