Mine rescue contests are designed to sharpen skills and test the knowledge of team members who would be called on to respond to a mine emergency. The contest requires team members to solve a hypothetical problem while being timed and observed by judges according to complex rules.
Enforcement Mine Rescue Contest
For 2026
If you would like to have staff from the Mine Safety Health Administration, Mine Safety Health and Enforcement attend or speak at a conference or participate as a judge in the mine rescue contest, please send requests to the following individuals.
East Region
- Barbourville District: Erica Warren (warren.erica@dol.gov)
- Barbourville covers Kentucky, Western North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands
- Beckley District: Rebecca Cook (cook.rebecca@dol.gov)
- Beckley covers Southern West Virginia, for the following counties: Boone, Braxton, Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Kanawha, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Putnam, Raleigh, Summers, and Webster
- Birmingham District: Amanda Cline (Cline.Amanda.R@dol.gov)
- Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, parts of Tennessee, Virgin Islands and Mississippi for the counties of Alcorn, Benton, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, George, Greene, Grenada, Itawamba, Jasper, Kemper, Lafayette, Lauderdale, Lee, Lowndes, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, Webster, Winston, and Yalobusha
- Morgantown District: Gloria (Kary) Yates (Yates.Gloria@dol.gov)
- Morgantown covers Maryland, Ohio, and Northern West Virginia
- Norton District: Larry Kendrick (Kendrick.Larry@DOL.GOV)
- Norton covers Virginia and eastern Kentucky
- Warrendale District: Sean Vandergrift (Vandergrift.Sean@DOL.GOV)
- Warrendale covers Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia
West Region
- Dallas District: Elizabeth Monsivais (Monsivais.Elizabeth@DOL.GOV)
- Dallas covers Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Mississippi for the counties of Adams, Amite, Attala, Bolivar, Carroll, Claiborne, Coahoma, Copiah, Covington, DeSoto, Forrest, Franklin, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar, Lawrence, Leake, Leflore, Lincoln, Madison, Marion, Panola, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Quitman, Rankin, Scott, Sharkey, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tunica, Walthall, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wilkinson, and Yazoo
- Denver District: Samsara Sorrells (Sorrells.Samsara@DOL.GOV)
- Denver covers Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming
- Duluth District: Jenna Nelson (Nelson.Jenna@DOL.GOV)
- Duluth covers Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin
- Lakewood District: James Marsh (Marsh.James@dol.gov)
- Lakewood covers Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah and Wyoming
- Madisonville District: Laura Poole (Poole.Laura@DOL.GOV)
- Madisonville covers Western Kentucky, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and parts of Arkansas, Illinois, and Oklahoma
- Vacaville District Michael Williams (williams.michael@dol.gov)
- Vacaville covers Alaska, Mohave County, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington County, Utah and Washington State
- Vincennes District: Laura Poole (Poole.Laura@DOL.GOV)
- Vincennes covers Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Northern Missouri, Wisconsin
Subject: Request for MSHA Participation in [Mine Rescue Contest Name]
Dear [Contact Name],
I hope you are well. I am writing on behalf of [Organization Name] to invite MSHA personnel to attend and/or speak at our upcoming [Mine Rescue Contest Name] on [Date] at [Location].
Please let us know if MSHA may be available to participate. We would be happy to provide any additional event details as needed.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]