WHEELING, WV, April 25, 2006 — Wheeling Jesuit University and WesBanco Arena played important roles in the advancement of mine safety throughout the international community as both locations served as host sites for the International Mining Health and Safety Symposium.

The event, the first international gathering of mining industry leaders and safety experts since West Virginia passed landmark mine-safety legislation in January, brought several hundred politicians, technology companies, academics, and representatives of industries, government agencies, labor, and management to the region.

Amber Helms, whose father was killed inside the Sago Mine, helped open the two-day symposium, noting that the symposium may spawn development of new technology that could help keep miners safer for generations to come.

West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin, Wheeling Mayor Nick Sparachane, Wheeling Jesuit University President Joseph Hacala, and Wheeling Jesuit’s vice president for sponsored programs, J. Davitt McAteer, also welcomed the audience of 275 to the University’ s Troy Theater. U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va.., also addressed the crowd in the afternoon. U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., who was unable to attend the symposium, stated in a letter to attendees that ensuring the safety of miners “is an ever-evolving challenge that requires our unyielding vigilance. Your energies and determination are required to explore new ways to strengthen our national mine safety regime.”

Change and exploring advances in mine safety technology were the main themes of the panel discussions that took place over the two days. Starting at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, experts from state, federal, and international agencies addressed key topics, including the present and future of mine safety and health, mine emergency technologies, mining best practices, and mine disaster response.

Representatives from NASCAR and NASA also addressed the audience.

“Safety is a continuing process” and “must be a priority forever,” said veteran NASCAR driver and special projects manager for research and development Brett Bodine. Bodine spoke on institutional response to disasters Thursday at the Wheeling Jesuit University campus, telling the crowd that NASCAR took a fresh look at safety following the on-track deaths of four drivers within nine months during 2000-01, culminating with the death of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt.

According to Bodine, communication — including listening to the advice of medical and engineering experts — was one of the most important elements of changing NASCAR for the better.

In addition to developing improved equipment and implementing restrictions and training requirements for drivers, NASCAR also is developing a “Car of Tomorrow,” which will take to the track and further standardize the industry beginning in 2007.

Prior to Earnhardt’s death, Bodine said, NASCAR had experienced 10 deaths in 10 years. In the five years since, no fatalities have occurred.

Bodine told symposium attendees to take this lesson from NASCAR: “Take a bad situation, analyze it and be prepared to make very tough decisions on the way you do business.”

Phillip Bounds, director of NASA’s security management division at the agency’s Washington, D.C. headquarters, then relayed his experiences in coordinating recovery efforts following the 2003 loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia and in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Following Katrina, Bounds was charged with recovery at two NASA sites in Texas and Louisiana.

Stressing that in both cases, recovery was a team effort and communication was key, Bounds described the vast scale of the shuttle recovery operation. He said debris was scattered over east Texas and Louisiana along a line 250 miles long. The search area all along that path was 4 miles wide, and the more than 80,000 pieces recovered ranged from the size of a postage stamp to more than 800 pounds in weight. Bounds also noted that interagency, intergovernmental and cross-sector efforts were required. This complicated the situation because not all of the involved agencies could communicate with one another.

Also participating in the event were 60 exhibitors from around the globe, displaying new products and technologies to help make the industry a safer business.

“All of us share in the commitment to pursue the technological improvements and innovations that every miner deserves. By combining technologies from other industries and countries, we can help take mining into the 21st century,” says McAteer, a special advisor to Manchin on the Sago Mine investigation. “Every one of us hopes that this forum serves as the catalyst for much-needed change.”

Representatives of MSHA, the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training, the West Virginia Coal Association, the National Mining Association, the UMWA, and other organizations reviewed technologies and discussed deployment strategies.

The symposium was sponsored by West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin, Wheeling Jesuit University, U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd, NIOSH, MSHA, the UMWA, LAMAR Advertising, Wheeling Convention and Visitors Bureau, StratusWave Communications, Ekahau, Inc., Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce, Regional Economic Development Corp., Project BEST, and the Anglo American Chairman’s Fund.