Bullitt Staffing Inc. is proud to sponsor mine rescue competitions across Canada, including those in British Columbia, Ontario, and the Northwest Territories. Just days before the Yellowknife Mine Rescue Competition - where we'll be in attendance (stop by and say hi!) - we connected Norm Ladouceur and Sheila Chernys, Co-Chairs of the Northern Mining Health & Safety Forum (NMHSF).
In this compelling conversation, Norm and Sheila share what drives Canada's mine rescue competitions and the mission behind them: ensuring every miner returns home safely.
The Journey
Norm has spent 42 years coaching, judging, and organizing mine rescue competitions - including recently judging/mentoring at the 2026 International Mine Rescue Competition in Zambia. His involvement with the national competition began in 2011 when he brought a Meadowbank team to compete in Yellowknife. Sheila discovered her own purpose when she joined the remote Ekati mine site in early 2021, taking charge of the emergency response team before partnering with Norm as Co-Chair.
Together, they've transformed how mining sites prepare for the unthinkable. From underground emergencies to open pit accidents and medical crises, they ensure teams are equipped to respond when seconds count. The teams handle wildlife interactions, fires, and water or ice rescues, though 75 to 80% of emergencies are medical conditions. With northern mines located in remote fly-in/fly-out areas where help can be hours away, teams must be completely self-sufficient for the first wave of a rescue.
We pressed further with questions that reveal the passion and precision behind every rescue competition.
Q: How has the competition evolved over the years?
Norm: "We deliberately raise the skill challenge every year to keep pace with new technologies and risk levels introduced into modern mining. The competition serves as a way for teams to prove to regulators and their communities that they are fully prepared for major emergencies."
Sheila: "From 2021 onwards, our industry took over the organization of the event from the safety regulator. Since then, we've evolved to include more community involvement - hosting barbecues and bringing families out to support the teams. We also see strong attendance and support from mine leadership and general managers."
Q: What's new or exciting about this year's competition?
Norm: "We're actively encouraging teams to participate to build camaraderie and mutual aid, even if their mine isn't currently commercially producing. New to the competition is B2Gold. Baffinland has returned to compete this year, and we're also welcoming sister companies from regions like Northern Alberta to participate."
Sheila: "We'll feature new, complex props and events designed to challenge the teams and further sharpen their skills."
Q: What's the hardest part of putting this all together?
Norm: "Logistics and funding are our biggest hurdles. The mining industry's presence in Yellowknife is shrinking, making on-the-ground organization difficult."
Sheila: "Our organizing team consists of volunteers balancing this work with our full-time jobs. Because the Northern Mine Health and Safety Forum is a non-profit organization, we're responsible for raising all the necessary funds and sponsorships ourselves."
Q: What is your proudest moment regarding the competition?
Norm: "My proudest moment occurred at the first post-COVID competition when the chief mine inspector publicly praised the Northern Mining Health Safety Forum, stating that we industry organizers did a much better job putting the event together than the regulators ever could."
Sheila: "My favourite moments happen on competition Saturday during the community barbecue, when I get to see children and families cheering on the competing teams."
Q: What do you wish more people understood about mine rescue?
Norm: "I wish people understood that mine rescuers up north are volunteers who have regular full-time jobs—mechanics, miners, geologists. We're highly trained to deal with every conceivable type of emergency on site, not just underground fires. Crucially, we do this work out of deep passion, going far beyond standard regulatory requirements."
Sheila: "I want the general public to understand that mines are highly safe environments precisely because of the massive effort we put into emergency readiness and the strong mutual aid agreements where mines proactively support one another."
Q: How can the industry help spread the word about the competition?
Norm: "The mining industry and partners like Levitt-Safety already do an incredible job promoting mine rescue across the country, with multiple competitions happening across Canada in the coming months."
Sheila: "We can spread the word via social media like LinkedIn, a soon-to-be-released promotional video produced by Cabin Radio, and an upcoming dedicated website. We've also recently created our own official email address to establish a permanent presence."
Q: Where do you see the competition going in the next 5 to 10 years?
Norm: "Our shared vision is to expand the Forum into a nationwide Canadian initiative. We're in talks with Manitoba and Atlantic Canada to consolidate their separate regional events into one major annual competition, which would save massive amounts of money, energy, and logistical effort."
Sheila: "We're also establishing a unified mine rescue manual for most of Canada and are committed to including industry suppliers to better share best practices for fatality prevention."
Q: When you're not busy organizing the Mine Rescue competition, how do you relax and recharge?
Norm: "Having retired in 2024, I relax by going on long walks, hunting, fishing at my cottage, and spending quality time with my grandson."
Sheila: "I like to spend my free time running and being out in the mountains."
Q: What would you say to someone thinking about joining a mine rescue team?
Norm: "If I was stuck underground, hurt, I want to know that there's somebody on surface coming down to get me. And the answer to that is, why would I not want to do that for somebody else?"
See you in Yellowknife!
Bullitt Staffing Inc. is proud to support the Mine Rescue Competition at Yellowknife's Multiplex Arena on May 30, 2026. Come and get your swag!