Mining Program Receives Funds from Senator Reed
September 23, 2014
Bevill State Community College’s mine safety training enjoys a reputation as a premiere program for the mining industry. The program trains an average of 8,000 people annually. Given the level of expertise involved in the training and the number of people who go through it each year, having the resources to ensure the highest level of service is always important to the college. A special allocation secured through State Senator Greg Reed’s office is assisting Bevill State to meet the high demands of the program.
“Our goal is to help miners prevent accidents and to help them in any safety related area,” said Ken Russell, director of Mine Training at Bevill State. “We do training for large companies and small operations. These funds are especially helpful to the smaller companies that we train. Many could not afford learning about the latest mining safety without it.”
Small operators are classified as any who have less than 36 employees. According to Russell, the college’s safety training often takes the place of these smaller operator’s in-house safety trainers.
The college’s mining safety program provides training in metal (including coal) and non-metal mining. Non-metal mining is anything that is non-coal but still underground. Among the specific areas of instruction offered include mine rescue, mine emergency, fire response, mine electrical services, and CPR training.
The notice of the special allocation came to Bevill State earlier this year along with other earmarked funds. However, with an amount totaling $80,000, the mining allocation obtained from Sen. Reed was the largest portion of that endowment.
“The Bevill State mining program is a great asset in our community and for the State of Alabama. I am excited we have gathered additional funding to help this program stay on the cutting-edge of performance. Mine safety and mining education training are very important to folks in Senate District 5 and throughout our State,” said Senator Reed.
“I am very grateful to Senator Reed for helping to secure these special funds for Bevill State’s mining program. Mining is such an important part of our service area’s economy and these funds will have a positive impact on the companies who take advantage of Bevill State’s expertise. I feel fortunate that Senator Reed recognizes the importance of mine safety training and for his support of this vital program,” said Bevill State’s Interim President Dr. Tom Huebner.
Russell echoed the appreciation for the special funding. “This funding helps us provide the best quality trainers available. We are very appreciative of this support and we look forward to continuing to provide miners with the highest level of training possible.”
For more information about Bevill State’s mining training program, call 1-800-648-3271, ext. 5433, or visit www.bscc.edu.