The distance of almost 70 km and about 60 technically difficult tests - this is how the best rescuers of the country met the Day of Defenders of the Fatherland and the Armed Forces of Belarus. For several days, 54 people test their strength: survival skills in extreme conditions, professional skills in emergency situations, teamwork - this is just a small list of what rescuers from all over the country need to demonstrate in a couple of days during open competitions in all-around rescuers "Search and Rescue Operations". This year the competition was hosted by the Mogilev region. The organizers did their best - experienced employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations do not hide the fact that the tasks are not easy.
On February 23, rescuers have more than 30 complex technical tests. Evacuation of victims who fell from bridges, rescue of a fallen hang glider pilot in a swampy area where specialized equipment cannot reach, evacuation of people from the basement of a destroyed building, an emergency on a difficult terrain with a conditional rockfall with first aid and "Count of Monte Cristo" : the group that examined the destroyed building was blocked without specialized rescue equipment - this is only part of the scenarios that the employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations worked out during the republican competitions.
As the senior judge and organizer of the competition Oleg Sikorsky said , tests for rescuers were thought out to the smallest detail. “According to one of the scenarios, the teams need to rescue a fallen hang glider pilot. The situation is aggravated by the fact that the aircraft fell into the wetlands. Special equipment will not be able to quickly get here. Teams receive a task for each point a few minutes before the start - they need to quickly make a tactically correct decision in order to provide assistance to the victim as soon as possible, he said. - So, the stage passes at the supports of the destroyed bridge. The difficulty is that, on the instructions of the team, they cannot be on the ice, and therefore it is necessary to set up a hinged ferry by throwing, to transport the victim along it with the help of special stretchers, ”he said.
The task is not easy - the teams are given 60 minutes to complete this stage. Coherence in actions, the ability to use modern equipment and work in a team - not only technical skills are important, but also the ability to work shoulder to shoulder, understand each other and, at the same time, monitor your own safety.
As Alexander Galushko from the team of the Brest region shared, he did this for the first time. “It was necessary to build three crossings, get the victim from the last point and transport him to a safe zone, after that remove all the railings and return to the finish line. It was hard. We got it right, but it could have been better. We will keep trying,” he said. - Here you get useful skills on how to act under certain circumstances. Undoubtedly, everything we do here can be useful in life.”
Another test that the organizers have prepared for the teams in Bykhov is to lift a 24-kilogram weight, which was fixed under the bridge in the center. The conditions are also not simple: the team is divided into two parts, they go down. One of them is in a suit. He is lowered under the bridge, he takes the load and, together with the weight, must be lifted up.
The course of the competition is monitored by judges - they not only evaluate the quality of passing tests, but also monitor the safety of the participants in the competition. The weather also does not let you relax - the thermometer in the Mogilev region has been showing almost minus 20 degrees for the second day. But no one gives concessions: marches over rough terrain over long distances, the guys go on foot and at the same time carry heavy backpacks with equipment, a set of food for two days and cooking supplies, tents, sleeping bags and special stretchers. The weight of such a backpack often exceeds 50 kg. But if last night the rescuers were able to get some rest, then today they will have a long night walk on foot. Testing one's own strength at the limit of human abilities - the elite of Belarusian rescuers cannot be frightened by this.
The ROSN Zubr team became the participants of the competition - all six people had just recently returned from Turkey, where they assisted the Turkish population in eliminating the consequences of a powerful earthquake. Belarusian rescuers have saved six lives on their account. As Alexander Kurochkin, the head of the duty shift of the operational control center of the Zubr, told, it was difficult for the rescuers to reorganize. “Only on Saturday they returned home, and already on Tuesday they were in the Mogilev region. There was no time for additional preparation, only time to get together. But they did not want to miss the competition. The team is charged to show decent results. But the general fatigue of the body, both for me and for other guys, is seriously affected, ”he shared. - The elimination of the consequences of the earthquake in Turkey from global international missions has become the first large-scale test of strength. The locals treated us very warmly: who will bring water, who will bring tea or food. The work went non-stop, sometimes they had to work 16 hours a day. To say that we were met there as heroes would probably be too loud. But people needed help, and we, for our part, did everything we could.”
Another member of the ROSN Zubr team Viktor Rybinin the field celebrates his birthday today. “We had the opportunity to refuse to participate in the competition due to the fact that we had just returned from a business trip to Turkey. But we didn't. We slept well, gained strength and were ready to work without interruption, going through stage after stage,” he said. - All our rescuers flew to Turkey with one goal - to save people. Physically, we are well prepared, we were ready to solve any tasks assigned to us. It was more difficult morally - to see the suffering of people, to look at how parents are looking for their children after the earthquake. Looking at all this, they were ready to work day and night, take the shortest breaks for rest and get back to work. People needed help, and we could not stay away. Of course, I wanted to do a lot more. We never counted how many hours we spent sorting out debris. Groups changed one after another after 6-8 hours. We flew there, realizing that each of us is ready to lend a shoulder to each other. We have completed all the tasks. Belarusian rescuers showed worthy results of work, definitely not worse, and in some places even better than other countries.”
Viktor Rybin has been participating in republican competitions for several years. The young man is sure that all the knowledge gained here can be useful in "battles". “Even in Turkey, we applied the skills that we got at such competitions,” he said. - I have been in the Ministry of Emergency Situations for 5 years. He served in the army and purposefully went to fulfill his dream - to become a lifeguard. I recently analyzed my year and realized that I spend much more time at work than with my family. But they all understand and support me. Even now - just arrived, two days later he left for the Mogilev region. But they understand that they can’t change me, so they try to help with all their might.”
The representative of the Mogilev team, the head of the shift on duty of the fire rescue unit No. 2 of the Mogilev City Department for Emergency Situations Leonid KovalenkoParticipates in such competitions for the third time. “I have known all the guys from our team for a long time, it was as a team that we began to work only this year. Our mutual understanding is at a high level. The oldest member of our team is 35 years old, and the youngest is 23 years old,” he said. - These competitions test not only physical health, but also the spirit of the rescuer. All volunteers are here. I love these competitions. They provide an opportunity to get out of the comfort zone, look at your everyday life with different eyes, and allow you to improve your emergency rescue skills. The advantage of such tests is in severe conditions. There is no opportunity to rest or give up slack. Not all of these steps may be useful in the daily life of a rescuer, but there are different situations. Just recently there was a Zubr in Turkey - the guys there definitely needed all the skills that allow them to practice these competitions. Our guys showed a high level of Belarusian rescuers there. I am proud of my colleagues, I was worried about them. And I also wanted to fly there, but due to circumstances it didn’t work out. ”
As the head of the Main Directorate of Emergency Rescue Services and Emergency Response of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the chief judge of the competition Sergey Novik said , there are no weak teams here. “Of course, there will be a winner and a loser. But despite all this, they are one big and friendly team. Many of them have known each other for a long time, they meet at winter and summer competitions. Here they compete, but most importantly - help each other. Here, no one rejoices at other people's failures, and if help is needed, they will quickly connect, prompt, support.
He also noted that along with experienced rescuers, students of the University of Civil Protection go through all stages. “The cadets of the university traditionally take part in such competitions. This is an important experience for them. It is noticeable that the guys want to prove themselves, to show that they are also strong. Yesterday was a difficult stage to overcome natural obstacles: we worked for about four hours. The guys showed their dexterity, resourcefulness. Even experienced guys looked at them,” he said.
Improving professional skills and the ability to understand and help each other are the most important goals of the competition. “Another team represents the ROSN Zubr. All six guys have recently returned from Turkey. “They flew in on February 17 and arrived here almost immediately,” Sergey Novik emphasized. - Their decision, despite the fatigue, demonstrates the best qualities of the Belarusian rescuers. They set a worthy example for all teams, especially for newcomers.”
Ahead of the guys - another half of the distance. A sleepless night with a difficult cross-country crossing will end only tomorrow at dawn. This will be followed by an awards ceremony. But besides the awards, the rescue teams will take something more important from these competitions - confidence in each of their colleagues, regardless of their location. And this, coupled with serious theoretical and practical skills, guarantees that in case of serious emergencies, fearless and selfless rescuers will come to the rescue, who will fight for every life, sparing no effort and time.
