Champions working together - KGHM rescuers participate in a high-altitude rescue training

Rescuers from the high-altitude section of KGHM’s Mine and Smelter Rescue Unit (MSRU) train in high-altitude operations. They practice during workshops in the mountains, but also use a stack built specifically for training purposes, which is located at the unit’s site in Sobin. The KGHM specialists also receive advice from well-known experts. The rescuers were visited by Andrzej Bargiel, a KGHM ambassador known for his high-altitude expeditions.

Andrzej Bargiel is both the first man in history to ski down from the K2 and Broad Peak summits and a rescuer of the Tatras Branch of the Mountain Rescue Service. On the other hand, KGHM rescuers from the high-altitude section have won, among other things, the 2022 Polish Mountain Rescue Championship in Karłów.

“Working in mining and metallurgy requires responsibility at every level. It requires not only physical strength, but also strength of the character and the spirit. At KGHM, we place great importance on safety and use every possible method to ensure it at our plants. Our rescuers are some of the best in Poland and we take care of their training and the equipment they have and use during their operations,” said Tomasz Zdzikot, the CEO of KGHM Polska Miedź S.A.

“KGHM rescuers are a true elite in their field. Talking to them was a unique opportunity for me to learn about the experiences of professionals who, like me, often have to operate in extreme conditions,” said Andrzej Bargiel.

During the meeting with Andrzej Bargiel, the rescuers from the MSRU conducted climbing training. The training site was a 15 meters tall stack. The high-altitude section of KGHM’s division, which comprises the three mining divisions, is a team of 138 people. The rescuers train in the Karkonosze mountains, but they also go to the Tatra Mountains, among other places.

Crew safety is one of the most important goals at KGHM. Rescuers from the MSRU receive ongoing training in conducting rescue operations, but also train KGHM workers. The training consist of carrying out simulated rescue operations and testing the technical skills of the rescuers in the operation of rescue equipment, breathing apparatuses, and measuring equipment, as well as providing pre-medical assistance.

The investments that have been planned will help improve the rescuers’ skills. This year, the construction of a training center for the medical and high-altitude sections will begin at the site of the current MSRU in Sobin. The main purpose of the new building is to allow high-altitude training using mountaineering techniques, but also training of first aid in the broadest sense. The new investment project is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2024.