The project „SWIFT: Carpathian Search-Rescue Network”, financed by European Union, started on 1st January 2020.
The project overall objective is creation of the cooperation platform between the Civil Society Organizations and Local Authorities in order to solve the priority tasks related to safety and rescue in the Carpathian Mountains.
The project creates Mountain Rescue Cooperation Platform of public mountain rescuers of Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Transcarpathian and Chernivtsi regions and introduces involvement of volunteers in rescuing people in the mountains. The development of cooperation platform is based on the European experience of the mountain rescue services functioning with involvement of volunteers.
The project activities preview the improvement of the staff qualifications and technical capabilities of the public mountain rescue teams through joint training programs and workshops, exchange of experiences, study tours; creation of mobile application and e-databases of danger places, tourist shelters, rescuer points, medical institutions, tourist routes in the mountain region.
The project provides series of activities aimed at building a dialogue between authorities and civil society in order to eliminate existing problems and realize a number of actions to improve safety in the mountains:
- Conferences with aim to unite all the interested parties, initiate cooperation and initiatives within the Project and assume Project idea on involving volunteers to search and rescue of the people in the mountains and establishing cooperation between representatives of public and government;
- Creation and equipping of two public search-rescue points: in Vorokhta, Ivano-Frankivsk region and in Dovge village, Lviv region to train mountain rescuers in real conditions – to provide training for civil rescuers on a permanent basis;
- Joint training for state and civil rescuers and improvement of their level of qualification according to the coordinated program. The project provides 8 training sessions: ground search (LandSar), rescue on the water, winter training (avalanche safety), rescue operations in areas with complex relief (rocks, caves);
- Practical training and internships in Poland on the basis of Górskie Ochotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe – Grupa Krynicka;
- For representatives of national natural parks / tourist districts, involved in cooperation with rescue groups there will be organized two round tables on cooperation on safety;
- Mobile application, e-databases of danger places, tourist shelters, rescuer points, medical institutions, tourist routes in the Carpathians will be created for operative work.
Expanded network of public search and rescue groups in the Carpathians, properly equipped with necessary equipment will serve to overcome common challenges, and will provide an opportunity for rapid response to emergencies; enhance safety throughout the entire territory.
The project as a whole will have a positive impact on interregional and international cooperation and will provide an opportunity to share experiences, methods, models, data, ideas, know-how and thus improve the entire rescue system in the Carpathian region.
Project duration is 32 months.
Project partners:
– NGO Mountains Guides Association “Rovin” (Lviv oblast)
– Ivano-Frankivsk oblast state youth centre of tourism and local history (Ivano-Frankivska oblast);
– Górskie Ochotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe – Grupa Krynicka (Poland)
– NGO “Mountain rescue centre” (Ivano-Frankivska oblast).
Project page at Facebook
Financed by European Union in Ukraine
