Laurentian University will host the 2026 North American University Mine Rescue competition in February, marking the first time the Sudbury school has hosted the event.
Nine student teams from across Canada and the U.S. will be in Sudbury Feb. 16-21 for a week of training and competition in mine rescue skills and techniques.
“This competition is unique because of where the teams come from and how differently they train,” said Félix Gervais, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student and president of the Laurentian University Mine Rescue Club, in a news release.
“Hard-rock mine rescue in Sudbury looks very different from coal operations in Colorado or open-pit environments in parts of Western Canada. Getting together lets us learn from each other and improve how we respond to emergencies.”
Teams will come from Colorado, South Dakota, British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, with events taking place at Laurentian and Dynamic Earth.
The competition will include a full underground response scenario, a mass-casualty first aid event, and a technician skills challenge.
Laurentian mine rescue team members are currently fundraising to help with expenses associated with hosting, with a goal of raising between $30,000 and $40,000, which will help cover the cost of venue rentals, catering, a closing banquet, event signage and other essentials.
They also welcome in-kind contributions — decommissioned rope-rescue gear, stretchers, training dummies, legacy firefighting equipment to use for practise — as well as volunteers willing to serve as coaches, judges and scenario coordinators.
Get in touch with organizers at 702-747-0637 or [email protected].