Krasnodar, 11 August. Our today’s interviewee is Sergei Gerasimov, Head of the Search-and-Rescue Team of the regional branch of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, First Class Rescue Worker.
Q.: Tell us about the rescue operations that usually take place in Sochi.
A.: Most often, in Sochi we carry out search operations in the mountains and in the forests, operations related with sea and road accidents, or falling from height. Every season has its peculiarities. In autumn, the most frequently occurred operations are searches for mushrooms pickers, very often elderly ones, in the forest. From May till October, much work is performed in the mountains: it is either searches for strayed tourists, or rendering aid to traumatised tourists. Naturally, the number of water accidents increases in summer – first of all, due to the increased number of people coming to the city. We cannot say whether the number of rescuing operations is growing or falling: for instance, last year we had 723 works, and during the first six months of this year – 424. At the same time, in 2019 there were 930 emergency calls. However, the overall trend most likely is that the help of rescuers is needed more often than it used to be in the past.
Q.: How much time can a person survive in the mountains or in the sea?
A.: It depends on the water temperature, state of the sea, their swimming skills and physical fitness. We had a situation when two young men in Gelendzhik were pulled to sea on the matrass, and they managed to survive for two days – so that when examining them, our doctor stated just sunburns.
Water and mountain survival also depends upon many factors – and first of all, upon fitness. If it is not a tragic situation, like an encounter with wild animals or a serious injury, a person can survive in the forest for quite a long while. And if they have matches, some food stock and warm clothing, they may hold out for a couple of days.
Q.: What is the most frequent reason to call the rescue team – a person’s own carelessness or the elements and mishaps?
A.: It can be both. But careless people may be the first to get under blow – say, they could have put up tents in the dry riverbed, and when big water came, they were washed away. Like it happened recently: some tourists crossed the river, spent the night on a small island, but could not come back because the water had risen. On the other hand, a person may have taken into consideration everything, but he may have broken his leg on the slippery path. That is – the situation may be so various that one cannot foresee everything. But, nonetheless, one should try.
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