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- 12 - If carbon monoxide is detected, the workers must don the emergency breathing devices and decide whether to continue to the portal or proceed to a refuge chamber. Workers in the affected area should imme- diately being using the breathing devices and pro- ceed to a refuge chamber unless an obvious escape route is available. Once in the chamber, they would activate the oxygen-generating and carbon dioxide removal equipment and start sending seismic or electromagnetic beacon location signals. Direction finding equipment on the surface would locate the source of the signals and establish communication with the men below. Directions and priority for rescue, if more than one group is trapped, would be furnished rescue teams or drillers. If rescue teams can be used, they would restore ventilation up to the refuge chamber and evacuate the men. If some men are critically injured, they could be evacuated using oxygen breathing equipment before restoration of ventilation. If rescue teams cannot enter the mine, probe holes would be drilled if the exact location of the miners was not known. After the men are accurately located, either by probe holes or a communication system, a large hole would be drilled. The trapped men would be rescued by pulling them up the hole in a capsule. SYSTEMS ENGINEERING The Committee recommends a substantial systems engineering effort as a part of this development program. The overriding consider- ation must be for the total system. A systems engineering effort will prevent the optimization of individual subsystems or components beyond the requirements of the total system, resulting in shorter development time and lower costs. Should technical problems arise in the development of any of the components, trade-off studies will be conducted to determine whether additional resources should be committed to overcoming the problem or if it is more efficient to
- 13 - improve another part of the system to overcome the degraded perform- ance of the component in difficulty. The most important function of the systems engineering group would be to prepare plans for testing the total system and procedures for its use. Components which individually function satisfactorily may require some modification for use with the total system. A well- planned testing program is essential to assuring the system will perform satisfactorily when needed. Well-thought-out procedural guidelines are essential to efficient use of the system during an emergency.
