Joe started his mining career in 1970 and began his mine rescue career in 1974 as a team captain.  His first regional mine rescue contest was in 1974 and he also competed in two National mine rescue contest. The first was in Salt Lake City, Utah and the other in Louisville, Kentucky.  Joe continued to compete in Regional contest until June of 1978 at which time he joined MSHA. 

In 1998 Joe was selected to the National Mine Rescue Team with MSHA and quickly became a team captain of one of the national teams.  As a National team member and captain he competed in two regional and one International mine rescue competition.

Joe has participated in many mine recovery operation throughout his mining career from fires, water inundation, and methane outburst, surface explosion, and surface impoundment failure rescue/ recovery operation.

As a National team member Joe worked with and trained several of Mexico teams and participated in two of their National Mine Rescue contest. Joe has also participated in and trained with the Canadian team in the Northwest Territories.

Joe has developed Mine Rescue field problems for the Southern Regional Mine rescue contest for several years and is the current contest director for the Southern Regional Mine Rescue Contest.  

For a personal reason Joe has a strong passion for mine rescue and the mine rescue community.

Joe has developed a famous quote that he communicates during each of his mine rescue contest in New Iberia, Louisiana. “WE ARE MINE RESCUE PEOPLE, WE KEEP HOPE ALIVE” We keep hope alive to the family members, the Mine operators, and the mining community, that we will bring their love ones back to them one way or another, we will restore the mine so that everyone can resume their lively hood as miners and return back to work.  “WE ARE MINE RESCUE PEOPLE, WE KEEP HOPE ALIVE”.