Baikal Search and Rescue Unit
The Transbaikalian Regional Search and Rescue Service, comprised of the Buryatia Republic Search and Rescue Service (Ulan-Ude), Chita Regional Search and Rescue Service (Chita), Irkutsk Regional Search and Rescue Service (Irkutsk), Yakutsk Republican Search and Rescue Service (Yakutsk) were established on the basis of the “Turist” Buryatia Republic Tourist Enterprise, “Yakutturist” Control and Rescue Service, Irkutsk Regional Council for Tourism and Control and Rescue Service, “Chitaturist” Regional Tourist Enterprise in accordance with Order No.528 of the Russian Government of 29 July 1992 and orders of the Emergency Response Commission No 98 of 3 September 1992 and No.150 of 21 October 1992.
The Transbaikalian Regional Search and Rescue Service was reorganized into Irkutsk Regional Search and Rescue Service by Order No.497 of the Emergencies Ministry of 7 August 1997. The Chita Regional Search and Rescue Service was reorganized into Transbaikalian Regional Search and Rescue Service, while Buryatia and Yakutsk Republican Search and Rescue Service remained unchainged.
The Baikal Search and Rescue Unit (hereinafter the BSARU) was established on 1 January 2002 by disestablishment of the Irkutsk Regional Search and Rescue Service, Buryatia Republic Search and Rescue Service and Transbaikalian Search and Rescue Service in accordance with Order No.375 of the Russian Emergencies Minister “On establishment of the Baikal Search and Rescue Unit” of 30 August 2001. The Unit included Irktusk and Buryatia Search and Rescue Services, located at the settlements of Listvyanka, Slyudyanka, Sakhyurta, Povorot, Severobaikalsk, Ust-Barguzin.
The Buryatia and Irkutsk Search and Rescue Services were excluded from the BSARU by Order No.245 of the Emergencies Ministry of 28 May 2004. As of 1 June 2004, the Unit included divisions in the settlements of Nikola, Slyudyanka, Sakhyurta, Podoloskoye, Severobaikalsk, Ust-Barguzin.
The BSARU base was officially opened in the settlement of Nikola in November 2005.
In accordance with the minutes of the meeting of the Commission for certification of emergency rescue services, emergency rescue divisions and rescuers of the Emergency Ministry’s Siberian Regional Center No.4 of 24 May 2013, the BSARU is certified to carry out 2 types of operations during mitigation of emergencies and natural disasters:
- search and rescue operations in the emergency areas;
- rescue operations connected with firefighting.
The BSARU has carried out over 6,000 search and rescue, rescue and other emergency operations since its establishment. More than 2,000 people have been rescued and aid has been provided to more than 5,000 people.
Semyon Belokurov is the Head of the Unit since December 2013. He was born on April, 24, 1975.
The Rescuer Training Center (RTC) was established in 2004 within the BSARU to provide training and advanced training for rescuers from Urals to Far East. In the RTC rescuers are trained at wilderness grounds in maximum realistic settings possible.
In 2014, The Rescuer Training Center of the BSARU was named after the Honored Rescuer of Russia – Alexander Stepanov. Total strength of the Unit is 326 people.
The BSARU is staffed with experienced, certified rescuers and specialists that can carry out a wide range of tasks. The Unit has necessary equipment and is certified as a search and rescue unit and has a permit to participate in mitigation of emergencies in Lake Baikal and its shoreline and nearby mountains. The territories, protected by the BSARU vary in relief and terrain types. There are a lot of mountains (up to 3,000 meters above sea level) and terrain includes mountain-taiga, steppes, swamps, forests, mountain rivers. The Unit is capable of conducting diving operations in Lake Baikal up to 60 meters deep under water and technical operations up to 200 meters deep under water.
Rescuers are working under most complex conditions. This is why they pay special attention to acquiring new skills and knowledge. Various drills are constantly carried out in the Unit.
In order to prevent any accidents on water, ice, in mountain-taiga and forests, the rescuers implement preventive measures. The Unit’s area of responsibility includes fishers’ sites, recreational facilities on water bodies, rescuers regularly patrol the most popular tourist routes. The tourists are being instructed on water and ice safety during such patrols.
Special attention is given to cadets, university students, school children and children that visit summer camps. Rescuers visit demonstration life safety lessons and tell the children about profession of a rescuer, teach how to render first aid to the injured, tell them about safety rules on water and in forests. Additionally, the BSPO rescuers control provision of safety during sports and other crowded events. BSARU specialists implement over 280 preventive efforts every year.
