This week the House passed and sent to the Senate House Bill 483 (Bastian-R-Somerset, DeWeese-D-Greene) that would give families of miners who are trapped in a mine special services from the state during the emergency.

The Mine Families First Program created by the bill was modeled after steps taken by Gov. Schweiker to provide information first to the families of the nine miners trapped then successfully rescued from the Quecreek Mine in 2002.

"The Mine Families First Act recognizes that miners' loved ones deserve to be the first to know every morsel of information during these emergency circumstances. This legislation would mandate a critical two-way communications plan that offers absolutely necessary guidance and support for miners' families," said Rep. DeWeese.

Under the bill, the Department of Environmental Protection would be required to establish a plan outlining steps to be taken by DEP and mine owners and operators during emergencies. The plan would include:

· immediate notification of mine family members in the event of a mine emergency;

· transportation to the physical location for mine families to gather and obtain information about the mine emergency and rescue efforts;

· security provisions to ensure privacy of mine families at the designated location;

· ensuring that mine families are briefed regularly, before the news media, about the progress of the emergency response;

· a mine families first liaison to serve as a 24-hour point of contact for mine families;

· coordinating the participation of nonprofit and public social service organizations that provide counseling and other social services to mine families; and

· notification and transportation of miner families to medical facilities when miners rescued from mines are given medical care.

A Mine Families First Response and Communications Advisory Council also would be created to help DEP establish the communications plan. The council would include representatives of mine owners, mine labor unions, local emergency response professionals, mental health professionals, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and two members of the public.

"This is a bipartisan plan that recognizes the unfortunate and difficult time faced by miners' families during these emergencies and it puts their needs where they truly deserve to be: first," Rep. DeWeese said.

Link: Quecreek Mine Rescue Site

6/8/2007