The Dräger Mine Rescue Vehicle (MRV) is an innovative solution based on the needs of an ever-changing mining environment. Mines evolve, they expand and get deeper, they move further from the portal. Mines rescue teams now have longer distances to travel before they arrive at the location of the emergency and only a limited amount of time is available with the breathing apparatus. The Dräger MRV 9000 exactly targets this challenge by providing safe transportation as close as possible to the incident without needing to activate the breathing apparatus. Consequently, the mine rescue teams have more time for their on-site mission.

Both the driver’s cabin and cassette are equipped with an air purging system. This system is independent of the ambient air and provides breathing air for the onboard personnel. Once the team has exited the vehicle equipped with personal breathing protection, the air flow in MRV 9000 can be manually reduced for the remaining occupants. As a result, breathing air from the onboard cylinders can be conserved to provide additional time for the overall mission. Once the team returns to the MRV 9000 and the driver’s cabin and cassette have been successfully flushed, their individual breathing apparatuses are no longer required.

External and internal gas monitoring reliably measures the concentrations of oxygen, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide in the ambient air and inside the vehicle. If thresholds are exceeded or fall short, the onboard personnel will be warned by visual and acoustic signals. Additionally, the measurement values are clearly visible in the front and in the rear of the vehicle. Thermal imaging cameras installed outside of the vehicle support the orientation in a dusty, smoky environment and can help detect trapped miners.

The chassis of the Mine Rescue Vehicle has been designed by Paus, a renowned vehicle manufacturer specializing in mining applications. The chassis is well-tested, strong and robust for harsh underground mine conditions. In addition, cooperation with a specialized manufacturer enables low maintenance efforts as Paus only uses components from other specialized mining industry suppliers. By combining the knowledge and expertise of Paus together with the well-known competence of Dräger in the field of rescue and refuge solutions, breathing protection and gas monitoring, the MRV 9000 provides both quality and industry-specific design.

Close cooperation with our customers initiated and drove the development of a mine rescue solution based on the current and future challenges of a mine. The in-depth knowledge of our customer together with our competences made it possible to not only develop a mine rescue vehicle, but to create a customer driven innovative solution. Each component of the mine rescue vehicle mirrors the needs of the mine rescue team in deeper and longer mines taking mines rescue into the twenty-first century.