Online Info Day of the project “Adaptation of the former observatory on Mount  Pip Ivan to the needs of the high-altitude rescue training centre (PIMReC)” within Cross- Border Cooperation Programme Poland-Belarus-Ukraine 2014-2020 was held. This meeting was devoted to safe tourism in the mountains and improvement of rescuers operation in the high mountain area due to equipment, procured within PIMReC project and further establishment of International Training Centre for rescuers.

PIMReC Project Coordinator – Rector of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University – Igor Tsependa, Head of PIMReC Infrastructural Group – Vice Rector of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University – Yaroslav Shynkaruk, Head of Project Management Department – PIMReC Manager – Lyubov Zinyuk; Director of the Center for East-European Studies of the University of Warsaw – Jan Malicki and Project Managers from the University of Warsaw – Jan Tygielsky and Yurii Tkachuk; Project Partners from the Chief Department of State Emergency Service of Ukraine in  Ivano-Frankivsk Region headed by Volodymyr Chernetskyi, as well as Deputy Head, Project Manager – Mykola Burlak and Head of the Fourth Specialized Search and Rescue Group – Taras Brynda; Partners from the Mountain Volunteer Search and Rescue Bieszczady Group (GOPR) headed by Krzysztof Szczurek and Project Manager – Karolina Kiwior participated in this Info Day.

All the time, stakeholders joined this online event that was lasting over two hours. The number of participants was varying, but constantly there were over 700 people. The meeting raised great interest in mass media.

During his welcome speech, Rector of VSPNU – Igor Tsependa mentioned that PIMReC project has no analogues both in Ukraine and Europe.

“On the one hand we consider this project as safety oriented and on the other hand, certainly, it is a scientific one. Safety of tourism and its scientific component are integral. We plan to establish meteorological centre this year, which is highly important for rescue operations, for prevention of emergency situations in the mountains and for constant informing of tourists. Establishment of Ukrainian-Polish School of Mountain Rescue is another further stage, which will allow to train professional mountain rescuers” – highlighted Igor Tsependa.

Director of the Center for East-European Studies of the University of Warsaw – Jan Malicki also provided information about partnership of both universities starting from idea to restore the Observatory on Pip Ivan mountain in 2012.

When providing information about the project progress, Head of CDSESU in Ivano-Frankivsk region – Volodymyr Chernetskyi mentioned that mountain tourism became very popular in the last few years in Ukraine, so it is important to have professional team of rescuers, based in convenient place to be able to provide first aid as soon as possible.

Head of the Fourth Specialized Search and Rescue Group in Ivano-Frankivsk region – Taras Brynda and Project Manager from the Mountain Volunteer Search and Rescue Bieszczady Group (GOPR) – Karolina Kiwior told about safety rules in the mountains and new available equipment.  

Taras Brynda told about the new initiative of the Specialized Search and Rescue Group CDSESU in Ivano-Frankivsk region – “Safety in Mountains”. There are six main topics for meetings that will be discussed with tourist community. One of the topics that people are interested in and which was actively discussed during the Info Day – is certification and accreditation of mountain guides.

He mentioned that everyone willing to go hiking to the mountains should know rules of mountain tourism and register beforehand, so that the rescuers knew about the intention to make a hike.

GOPR mountain rescuer – Karolina Kiwior told that in Poland there is a special rescue application for mobile phones. Tourists can call for help using it, while mountain rescuers can see signal for help in their monitors.

“Using this application we can see where the person calling for help is, as well as we can get to know about such details as what is the telephone battery charge, if the injured person is allergic to something and etc. I hope that soon some similar application will be in Ukraine, moreover, there are a lot of areas difficult to reach in the Ukrainian side”, – said Karolina Kiwior.

The online meeting ended with Q&A session.