Mining Brigade Preparation

The term “tactical athlete” is a designation that refers to military personnel, police, firefighters and rescue forces who require training strategies aimed at optimizing their professional performance

The Mining Services (Mine Rescue) department of EASTAV completed a Program for Evaluation and Analysis of the Physical Condition and Maintenance of Brigadiers last November. This program was developed for one year together with the Castellanos Mine Intervention Brigade of EMINCAR - Empresa Minera del Caribe (Cuba).

The program has integrated various awareness-raising actions far beyond physical training, such as raising awareness for the adoption of a healthier diet and about the harm of alcohol and tobacco consumption. For a year, the Medical Services of the mining operation have accompanied the program, collaborating in the evaluations.

Throughout the program, different body parameters were recorded, such as body weight, body mass index and fat and muscle percentages. These records have made it possible to keep all personal data updated and to carry out a continuous evaluation of each brigadier also at the collective level.

The types and methods of training implemented have been diverse, with special emphasis on functional exercises. Good practices for performing daily physical exercises have been introduced at the collective and personal levels, based on the various factors and individual objectives previously analyzed.

In carrying out our evaluation work, a periodic physical condition assessment test has been implemented and a minimum profile of this condition has also been defined for the role of brigadier. With the test results, an evaluation table was completed, differentiating 3 groups by age group and 4 classifications in terms of physical condition.

The exercises are performed using the circuit methodology with total time timing.

The brigadier was fully equipped with clothes, boots, helmet and mask bottle. We concluded the program with the satisfaction of having fulfilled our mission in terms of the objectives set. Overall, the final results at the individual and collective levels were positive and with the program we helped to establish a new vision of the Intervention Brigade. We thank those responsible for EMINCAR for giving us the opportunity to carry out this program and their trust in EASTAV Mining Services.