Through the Brookwood-Sago program, the U.S. Department ofLabor's Mine Safety and Health Administration is distributing$1,250,000 in grants to seven mining organizations offeringeducation and training within the industry.

With this funding, the organizations are to further develop andimplement training and related materials to prepare for miningemergencies and prevent underground accidents.

"We can never overemphasize the importance of training,especially in the area of mine emergency response," says JosephMain, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health."These grants will enable organizations that are dedicated to minesafety to develop programs that may one day save miners'lives."

Grants are being distributed to the Colorado School of Mines inGolden to provide training to mine rescue teams focusing on bettertechnical, communications and decision-making skills for teams andindividuals at the incident command center as well as Rend LakeCollege in Ina, Ill., that is to offer mine emergency response andrescue skills training for the region's mine rescue teams.

The University of Arizona in Tucson is also receiving the granttest and evaluate the effectiveness of computer softwaresimulations for mine emergency preparedness in New Mexico, Utah andColorado while Bevill State College in Sumiton, Ala., is receivingthe grant to develop a high-quality day-in-the-life educationalvideo. Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va., is anotherrecipient that is to create a computer program that performsventilation network planning calculations while simulating a mine'sventilation system and its response to modified ventilationparameters.

Pennsylvania State University in University Park is receivingthe grant to implement a training program featuring a webcast andmodules while the United Mine Workers of America Career CentersInc. in Washington, Pa., is responsible for creating a trainingprogram that educates miners on mine map reading, symbolrecognition, escape ways and basic mine ventilation.

These training grants, which were established from a mandate inthe Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006, aregiven based on a 12-month performance period, and applicants mustbe either a state or nonprofit organization.