Miracle In Chili

[FMCC]

The Miracle in Chili

Did anyone notice that Obama was nowhere to be seen or heard from in this crisis the whole world celebrated? Guess the Harvard Professor Beer meeting was more noteworthy .---or Maybe he figured no one cared about another speech.

While the White House may not believe in American exceptionalism, I do. And I'm thinking there's a whole bunch of people in Chile that would agree.

Regarding the mine rescue, did you know:

The guy that designed the rescue module was a NASA Engineer?

The Drill was made by Schramm Inc. from Pennsylvania.

The Drill Bits were made by Center Rock, Inc. located in Berlin, Pennsylvania.

The lead driller Jeff Hart and his team are from Denver, Colorado. They are on loan from the US Military in Afghanistan where they are drilling water wells for our Forward Operating Bases.

He spent the next 33 days on his feet, operating the drill that finally provided a way out Saturday for 33 trapped miners. "You have to feel through your feet what the drill is doing; it's a vibration you get so that you know what's happening," explained Hart.

Hart was called in from Afghanistan, "simply because he's the best" at drilling larger holes with the T130's wide-diameter drill bits, Stefanic said.

Standing before the levers, pressure meters and gauges on the T130's control panel, Hart and the rest of the team faced many challenges in drilling the shaft. At one point, the drill struck a metal support beam in the poorly mapped mine, shattering its hammers. Fresh equipment had to be flown in from the United States and progress was delayed for days as powerful magnets were lowered to pull out the pieces.

The mine's veins of gold and copper ran through quartzite with a high level of abrasive silica, rock so tough that it took all their expertise to keep the drill's hammers from curving off in unwanted directions. "It was horrible," said Center Rock President Brandon Fisher, exhausted after hardly sleeping during the effort.

Fisher, Stefanic and Hart called it the most difficult hole they had ever drilled, because of the lives at stake.

"If you're drilling for oil and you lose the hole, it's different. This time there's people down below," Stefanic said.

"We ruined some bits, worked through the problems as a team, and broke through," Hart said. "I'm very happy now."

Miners' relatives crowded around Hart on Saturday, hugging and posing for pictures with him as he walked down from the rescue operation into the tent camp where families had anxiously followed his work.

"He's become the hero of the day," said Dayana Olivares, whose friend Carlos Bugueno is one of the miners stuck below.

In a different day and age, Jeff Hart would be the most famous American in our country right now. He would be honored at the White House. Schoolchildren would learn of his skill and heroism. But because Jeff Hart works in an industry currently being demonized by the Obama administration, more people in Chile will celebrate this symbol of American greatness than in America itself.

- Michelle Malkin

Please copy and send this to all your email list.

Edited October 24, 2010 by FMCC

[tripthelight]

Great post! Thanks for the info. I didn't know any of that. I am so happy to know this.

[pourit]

Excellent post. POURITFORWARD

[automag]

Fantastic post and thanks for putting that together.....Indeed he is deserving of the title....HERO!!!

Thanks for the post again!!

[FMCC]

I'm glad you liked this post. Everyone should send this to all your email list.

[A. Zuccaro]

Great Post! Ann

[American]

FMCC I am with you we live in a time of miracles and this was one of them. I am not much of a gambling man but what are the odds that all of these men being in a safe location at the time of the collapse? Thank you for your post!

[ajskj]

The Miracle in Chili

Did anyone notice that Obama was nowhere to be seen or heard from in this crisis the whole world celebrated? Guess the Harvard Professor Beer meeting was more noteworthy .---or Maybe he figured no one cared about another speech.

While the White House may not believe in American exceptionalism, I do. And I'm thinking there's a whole bunch of people in Chile that would agree.

OOPS>>>>>

Obama hails inspiring Chile mine rescue

Obama hails inspiring Chile mine rescue AFP – Chilean miner Victor Zamora © gives the thumbs up upon surfacing following a 10-week ordeal in the …

– Wed Oct 13, 2:44 pm ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US President Barack Obama Wednesday hailed emotional scenes sparked by the rescue of Chilean miners trapped underground for nearly two months, saying their joy was shared the world over.

Obama spoke at the moment the 18th of 33 miners was winched up through a narrow escape shaft drilled deep into a mountain in Chile's Atacama desert, where group was trapped on August 5.

"Last night the whole world watched the scene at Camp Esperanza as the first miner was lifted out from under more than 2,000 feet of rock, and then (was) embraced by his young son and family," Obama said.

"The tears they shed after so much time apart express not only their own relief, not only their own joy, but the joy of people everywhere."

"This rescue is a tribute not only to the determination of the rescue workers and Chilean government, but also the unity and resolve of the Chilean people who have inspired the world."

"I want to express the hopes of the American people that the miners who are still trapped underground will be returned home safely as soon as possible."

Obama also commended a NASA team that helped designed the vehicle being used to pull the men through the narrow shaft and the American engineer who flew from Afghanistan to help operate the drill that dug the escape route.

Edited October 25, 2010 by ajskj

[carlablum]

I am sure glad I didn't see Obama do anything but it sure touched my heart to see there president not leave the site of the rescue until all of the miners were out. I just could not picture Obama doing anything near as good as the Chili president did. O is to busy spending our money and playing in our plane.

[ajskj]

I am sure glad I didn't see Obama do anything but it sure touched my heart to see there president not leave the site of the rescue until all of the miners were out. I just could not picture Obama doing anything near as good as the Chili president did. O is to busy spending our money and playing in our plane.

Yeah, yeah, we all get it. You are so blinded by your hatred of Obama that you will believe ANYTHING bad about him no matter how untrue it is.

[carlablum]

Yeah, yeah, we all get it. You are so blinded by your hatred of Obama that you will believe ANYTHING bad about him no matter how untrue it is.

You need to stop attacking my personal opinions of the mutt and post your opinion on the original post.

FACT - I am sure glad I didn't see Obama do anything but FACT - it sure touched my heart to see there president not leave the site of the rescue until all of the miners were out. FACT - I just could not picture Obama doing anything near as good as the Chili president did. FACT - O is to busy spending our money and playing in our plane.

Is anything pointing at you in my post?

Grow up!

Edited October 25, 2010 by carlablum

[ajskj]

You need to stop attacking my personal opinions of the mutt and post your opinion on the original post.

Stop attacking him WITH LIES and I will stop COMMENTING on your hatred of him.

FACT - I am sure glad I didn't see Obama do anything but FACT - it sure touched my heart to see there president not leave the site of the rescue until all of the miners were out. FACT - I just could not picture Obama doing anything near as good as the Chili president did. FACT - O is to busy spending our money and playing in our plane.

And FACT...the original post ...and YOU are wrong. Obama not only noticed, but pointed the Americans out with pride and commended them.Then YOU jumped in to again tell us that you hate the President. YAWN.

Grow up!

Right back at you! [/b]

[carlablum]

LOL OMG you just don't stop and you wonder why I say grow up. OK OK you can have the last word.....

Have a nice evening,

Carla

[FMCC]

Wow! Basically I was just wanting Americans and the rest of the world to remember the name of Jeff Hart and other heros in this story. Sorry about the mention of 'O' And yes, there was an article with 'O' hailing the rescue workers. But I didn't see it all over the news and I didn't see the white house give Hart honors for his heroic efforts. If the white house did, please inform me with a reply. I am interested to see.

[ajskj]

Wow! Basically I was just wanting Americans and the rest of the world to remember the name of Jeff Hart and other heros in this story. Sorry about the mention of 'O' And yes, there was an article with 'O' hailing the rescue workers. But I didn't see it all over the news and I didn't see the white house give Hart honors for his heroic efforts. If the white house did, please inform me with a reply. I am interested to see.

Obama honors U.S. rescuers of Chilean miners

President Obama meets with some of the Americans involved with the rescue of Chilean miners, Thursday in the Oval Office. Thirty-three miners were rescued from a collapsed mine in Chile earlier this month.

Enlarge this photo

POOL / GETTY IMAGES

President Obama meets with some of the Americans involved with the rescue of Chilean miners, Thursday in the Oval Office. Thirty-three miners were rescued from a collapsed mine in Chile earlier this month.

Related

WASHINGTON —

President Barack Obama on Thursday congratulated officials from NASA and several U.S. companies for their role in this month's rescue of 33 miners trapped underground in Chile.

The miners were rescued on Oct. 14, more than two months after they were marooned by a mine collapse.

Obama had planned to deliver a statement to the media in the Rose Garden after meeting with the group in the Oval Office. But shortly before the event, the White House cited a schedule change in announcing that Obama's statement had been canceled.

In public comments earlier this month, Obama said the rescue had captivated the world. He also commended everyone involved, including a NASA team that helped design the capsule that was used to bring the miners above ground one at a time.

Jim Stefanic, operations manager for Geotec Boyles Bros., S.A., a drilling company, said they had a "very good chat" with the president.

"He congratulated everybody on this great rescue mission down there," Stefanic told reporters outside the White House after the meeting. Stefanic said Obama also told them he was "very proud that we were down there doing this job and rescued all 33 miners alive."

Geotec Boyles Bros., S.A., is a U.S.-Chilean company based in Santiago, Chile.

Other drilling companies represented at the meeting were Schramm Inc., of West Chester, Pa.; Center Rock Inc. of Berlin, Pa.; and Layne Christensen Co. of Kansas City, Kan. Also attending were representatives of Philadelphia-based Aramark, a professional services company.