An online information day of the project of the Poland-Belarus-Ukraine cross-border cooperation program 2014-2020 " Adaptation of the former observatory on Mount Pip Ivan to the needs of the high-altitude rescue training center" (PIMReC)" took place. The meeting was dedicated to safe the tourism in the mountains and improving the work of rescuers in the highlands thanks to the equipment purchased under the PIMReC project and the future creation of the International Rescue Training Center at the Observatory.
The following people took part in the information day:
PIMReC project coordinator Ihor Tsependa, Rector of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian University, PIMReC Infrastructure Group Chairman, Vice-Rector of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian University Yaroslav Shinkaruk, Head of Project Management, PIMReC Manager Lyubov Zinyuk; Jan Malicki, Director of the Studiums of Eastern European Studies at the University of Warsaw, and Jan Tigelski and Yuriy Tkachuk, Project Managers from the University of Warsaw; project partners from the Main Office of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Ivano-Frankivsk region, headed by Chief Volodymyr Chernetsky, as well as Deputy Chief, Project Manager Mykola Burlak and Chief of the Fourth Specialized Search and Rescue Group Taras Brynda; partners from the Mountain Voluntary Rescue Service - Bieszczady Group (GOPR) led by its chairman Krzysztof Schurek and project manager Karolina Kiwior.
All this time, the online, which lasted more than two hours, was joined by interested parties. The number of people fluctuated, but constantly amounted to more than 700 people. The meeting also aroused great interest in the media. Opening the event, the rector of the university Igor Tsependa noted that the PIMReC project has no analogues in Ukraine or in Europe.
"We consider this project today on the one hand as safe, and on the other hand, of course, as scientific. Because the safety of tourism, and its scientific component, is essential today. Because even the creation of a meteorological center, which is planned to be done this year, is extremely important for rescue operations, to prevent unforeseen situations in the mountains and to constantly inform tourists. And the creation of the Ukrainian-Polish school of mountain rescue is another next stage, which will allow to train professional mountain rescuers, "Ihor Tsependa emphasized.
Jan Malicki, Director of Studium of Eastern European Studies at the University of Warsaw, also provided information on the partnership between the two universities, starting with the start of the Pip Ivan Observatory reconstruction project in 2012.
Volodymyr Chernetskyi, the Head of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Ivano-Frankivsk region, said that mountain tourism had become very popular in Ukraine in recent years, so it was important to have a professional rescue team based in a convenient location to provide the emergency assistance.
Taras Brynda, the head of the fourth specialized search and rescue group of the State Emergency Service in Ivano-Frankivsk region, and Karolina Kiwior, a project manager from the Mountain Voluntary Rescue Service (GOPR), informed about safety rules in the mountains and new equipment.
In particular, Taras Brinda told about the new initiative of the Specialized Search and Rescue Unit of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Ivano-Frankivsk region "Security in the mountains". So far, six main topics have been identified to be discussed for meetings with the tourism community. One of the topics that worries people is the certification and accreditation of mountain guides
and was actively discussed during the info day. He noted that all those wishing to go to the mountains should know the rules of mountain tourism and register so that rescuers know about the intentions of the campaign.
In turn, mountain rescuer GOPR Karolina Kiwior said that in Poland there is a special rescue application for a smartphone. With it, tourists can call for help, and mountain rescuers at the same time on the monitors can see a signal for help.
"With the help of the rescue application, we can see where the person in need of help is, and we can also find out such details as, for example, what percentage the battery has on the phone, whether the tourist has an allergy to medication, etc. I hope that later a similar application will be in Ukraine, especially since there are many hard-to-reach areas on the Ukrainian side, "said Carolina Kiwior.
Tags: PIMReC