Miners Rescued in Chile

During last evening and late into the night Theresa and I watched, glued to the TV as men were taken from the jaws of death in a mine in Chile. After what seemed like a lifetime men were brought to the cold air to freedom because of modern technology and a will to free the miners trapped below. Most of the world watched live TV coverage of this exceptional feat. I was torn between watching this dramatic rescue and a memory of days long ago when another rescue was taking place in Nova Scotia.This mine rescue was a feat which could not have been even imagined years ago when a mine disaster occurred in Springhill in 1956. At that time many coal miners were trapped underground after a bump collapsed the mine killing many and trapping more. After 14 days when the mine was to be sealed to put out fires tapping sounds were heard and one of the most memorable rescues took place.

My family were coal miners and made their living in the deepest submarine coal mine in the world. Princess Mine ran miles out under the Atlantic Ocean and was a dangerous place to work. A number of my extended family were injured and some perished eaking out a living digging for black gold, coal.

I was teaching in a small company town in Temiscaming, Quebec when the Springhill Mine rescue operation was played out on radio and TV. Immediately fund raising programs sprung up and money was collected for the families impacted by the disaster. Even in far flung communities this rescue captured the imagination of the country. It was the media which brought live coverage of the event which made everyone get involved. Our school raised over $600 alone and the town more than $5,000. All of this for days on end because it was a human drama played out before our very eyes. TV became the great media giant and events like this were carried to the corners of the world.

As the rescue in Chile continues, millions of people breath together in synch with one purpose in mind. How wonderful it would be if we could do the same for peace in the world. We can only hope that the exposure of this mine disaster will bring attention to the safety practices carried out in many countries which puts lives on the line every day.

Mining is big business and makes some people very rich. We hope that better and safer working conditions will be one of the outcomes of this dramatic rescue.