Diamonds in the Rough Emergency Rescue Organization, Inc.

Diamonds in the Rough is a project initiated by Kari Lentowicz and Bruce Coley, in an effort to raise the profile of women in the mining industry and in non-traditional roles through mine rescue. Our goal is to foster the development of a woman's underground mine rescue team to advance and retain the skill level necessary to provide emergency rescue services and compete at an international level in what is traditionally a male-dominated environment. There is a pressing need for diversity in the workplace which includes engaging women in the workplace for sustainable operations. We are very in tune with the lack of diversity that does exist and more specifically with women in non-traditional roles. The culture in the mining industry – though it has changed significantly – needs to continue to change to promote the advantages of increased diversity, allow women to feel secure in their positions, and allow minorities to pursue a sustained career path in the industry. Our efforts to increase the profile of women in mining can’t take effect unless we have the support of everyone in our community. If you know of any women who are interested in learning more about mine rescue or emergency response, send them our way. The more people we connect with, the better chance we have of training competent women in the field and increasing a positive light on the need and acceptance of women in non-traditional gender roles. At this time, we have recognized that there will be many costs to the individuals that participate in our program. From registration fees, travel costs, equipment, and wages lost due to time off, there are many financial constraints in our future. We hope that by advertising our projects, we can receive more support. We are preparing to recruit for 2023! Please share our organization widely so we can reach as many women and non-binary in the mining industry as possible!