Name of Hero: Mine Rescue Men and Women

Hero City: Timmins ON

Submitted by: kim beamish

I wrote a note to the boys to thank them for their concert last night. I also wanted to share a poem with them that was written for our Mine Rescue Men and Women . Below is the letter I emailed the boys . They wrote me back and suggested I share it on this site. So here it is :

Thanks for sharing your poem Kim. It’s beautiful. Mine Rescue definitely falls under the 911 umbrella and your poem gives a moving perspective on the sacrifice and the risk. I assume it went over well? You should submit it to the 911song.com site.

Thanks also for coming to the concert and for the kind words. We love coming home each year and it’s one of the most important trips we make.

All the best, Dave

On Sat, Dec 3, 2011 at 10:48 AM, kim beamish wrote:
Hello,
I would like to let you know how much I enjoyed your concert last night firstly. It brings the Christmas spirit into my heart. Your concert is joyful and wonderful to watch.

I would like to comment on your First Responders song, mostly for the reason that my husband is a first responder . He is part of a group of men from his mine at Xstrata Copper in Timmins who train through the year, every year, in order to be the best they can be as a first response team in underground emergencies and disasters. The Mine has a competition team of seven men who train to compete against other mines in the district then the team who takes the District Trophy goes on to compete at the Provincial level. The goal of the mine rescue competition is to have men exposed to as near life like disasters as possible in order to experience rescue under extreme circumstance and conditions. This in turn hopefully has our guys as ready as they can possibly be.

My husband has been in Mine Rescue for 30 years. He was the Captain of the Xstrata Copper team for many years. I am beyond proud of him and his men. When, at the awards Banquet one year, asked to give a speech, a toast to the Men of Mine Rescue as the Captain’s wife, I was searching for the right words to honor these men. The Men of Mine Rescue, I thought, I am as proud of all of them as I am of my husband. I feel for their families and friends when they are called out. I had no words that could, in my heart, even tell them how much we appreciate them and so, I wrote a small poem to them to try to cover everything I know we all felt and feel every day. Because we feel this for all Miners, not just our community. When we hear of a mine disaster far away, or close, we all feel for the Men going into Rescue and the families and friends waiting behind the phone. And we weep for the men and women waiting for rescue. Praying that they all make it out.

I wanted to share it with you both because your video touched my heart and I wanted to expand on the types of Rescue Men and Women. I know the video shows a few and the meaning encompasses them all First Responders and Rescue personnel, but I still wanted to share our experience with you.
A Mine Rescue Prayer

It’s a game to most people
Win or Lose, break the tie.
What these people aren’t thinking
is that a man could die.
The Game has a purpose
to be the Best of the Best.
Life saving skills are being put to the test.
Fierce competition drives each and every man
Preservation of Life, is the first Command.
As we watch, we should reflect on what this
competition truly means.
It means some day
a group of men will be called
To help save their friends,
to help and and all.
The point of their training
becomes crystal clear.
The Game was rehearsal
for their worst fears.
We pray for the Games to continue.
That these men can put their knowledge to the test.
That they will always strive to be,
the Best of the Best.
Each time I get a call
at three a.m. or so,
I am so tempted to ask him,
“Please, don’t go.”
But I don’t ask
I know where he stands.
He’s already thinking of his friends,
whose lives are in his hands.
It’s then that I go kiss him ,
and I whisper a Prayer.
I pray for their safety,
their courage, their lives.
I pray for these Mine Rescue Men
on behalf of their wives,
their children, their friends.
I pray they all come home
to us again.

Thank you for writing songs that touch a people individually and as a community.
Sincerely,
Kim Beamish.