Chilling relaxation: how to ensure safety during ice-floating
After the tragedy in the Murmansk region, when a tourist from Belarus was swept away by the current during ice-floating, the authorities of the region thought about improving the safety of this relatively new type of entertainment. The companies that organize such swims say that after the emergency, they began to be checked by the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations. But there are simply no rules governing ice-floating at the moment. At the same time, publications in the media aroused additional interest of Russians in this entertainment on the water. About how safety is currently ensured during ice-floating, what kind of control is needed and what are the features of this type of recreation — in the Izvestia material
You can sleep, but it can get carried away by the current
In just a few days in January, the media published articles about ice-floating in Moscow, and about the comic ice-floating with ducks in the Moscow region, and the news that he "got to Sochi."
The geography of entertainment is quite wide: Primorye, Baikal, Karelia, Altai, Leningrad, Kirov, Arkhangelsk regions, Moscow. But it is most popular in the Murmansk region. According to experts, almost every fifth tourist orders such a service. Moreover, ice-floating is in great demand among foreigners.
Ice-floating is swimming in icy water with special wetsuits. According to the organizers, this is relaxation rather than extreme: people come for a feeling of weightlessness and a reboot. The suit protects against temperatures up to -30 °C. Limitations: health status and height less than 140 cm. The outfit is affectionately called a shrimp costume because of its bright orange color. The second name of the entertainment itself is "sealing".
— Imagine that you are outside with a negative temperature, entering icy water, but at the same time protected from cold and moisture. At first it's a little scary and amazing, and then you just float, you can even sleep lying on the water. I can describe these emotions, but I won't be able to experience them for you," says the organizer of the capital's ice-floating.
Sealing without rules
But ice-floating caused really active discussions in the media after two emergencies in the Murmansk region, one of which ended in tragedy. On January 1, during a group ice-floating, a tourist from Belarus was swept away by the current of the Tuloma River. She was never found. A criminal case was initiated under Article 238 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Provision of services that do not meet the requirements for the safety of life and health of consumers, resulting in the death of a person by negligence"). Earlier, at the end of December, tourists from China and India who were engaged in ice-floating in the Kola Bay were swept away by the current. They were lucky — the group was rescued by local residents who were testing a new boat.
"I understand well that people are waiting for quick solutions, but the situation is that today in Russia there are simply no uniform rules for organizing ice-floating," commented Marta Govor, Minister of Tourism and Entrepreneurship of the Murmansk Region. In mid-January, a working meeting was held, which was attended by representatives of the government, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia in the Murmansk Region, the Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for transport, the regional Association of Gulfstream tourism Enterprises, the Surfing Federation of the Murmansk Region, and representatives of companies providing ice-floating services.
According to the minister, joint work will be carried out on "how this can be adjusted, how to properly put it into a form that is understandable for both tourists and entrepreneurs." First of all, the official noted, it should be safe.
The Russian Union of Travel Industry also advocated strict regulation of this service. "There is a service, but there are no regulations for its provision. In the absence of regulations and controls, as we can see, it turns out to be far from safe," said Georgy Mokhov, Vice President of the PCT, head of the Persona Grata law agency.
Like on the beaches
Oleg Terebenin, General Director of the Visit Murmansk tour operator, who opened the northernmost beach in the Murmansk region, told how, in his opinion, the safety of tourists during ice floating should be ensured.
— First of all, I think it is necessary to conclude a water use agreement. It provides for production control, conducting studies of water samples, monitoring the condition of the shore and the water protection zone. It is also necessary to rent a plot of land for recreational purposes," he explained. — The situation should be like on beaches, that is, it must comply with all regulations.
The expert emphasizes that before the start of the season, it is necessary to conduct an inspection of the GIMS of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia, inspect and clean the bottom of debris, dangerous and foreign objects. Also, according to the expert, it is necessary to monitor the entire situation in the water area, the currents.
During the season, the temperature of the water and air should be measured. As on beaches, video monitoring, a lifeguard tower, and a stand with information are needed, including what actions should be taken in case of an emergency. Rescuers and instructors must undergo annual retraining and be able to provide first aid.
Alexandrov's Lifebuoys and ends
According to Oleg Terebenin, it is necessary to create a roadmap, work out regulations, consult with specialists from the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Rospotrebnadzor, and regulatory authorities on what requirements should be put forward for this service.
— You can't forbid it. Perhaps it is worth introducing new rules not in the first year. But, probably, it is necessary that the personnel of the companies undergo the necessary training, check the suits, ensure the availability of lifebuoys and Alexandrov's ends," he explained.
As the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation reported earlier, unsuitable equipment could have led to the death of a tourist from Belarus. When specialized hydrothermal suits were seized from the person involved in the criminal case, it turned out that they did not meet safety requirements, had expired shelf life, and there was no proper annual examination.
Each point has its own standard.
Companies that are engaged in ice-floating say that after the emergency, specialists from the GIMS of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia came to check on them, studied the water area, documents.
— People have already come to us, looked at everything, and we are, roughly speaking, agreed. We checked the documents (we sent them by e—mail) and the water area," Yulia Skroznikova, deputy head of Ice-Floating in Moscow, told Izvestia. — I communicate with colleagues from the Murmansk region, they tell me that representatives of the Ministry of Emergency Situations also visited the points, checked.
According to her, the main thing during the inspections was to study the current, since the fact of the missing person was connected with him.
— But you need to understand that this is a new type of activity, there is no "standard" for it yet, and it is also unclear what it refers to. Therefore, each point chooses its own standard of work," Yulia Skroznikova added.
For example, in Moscow, everything happens in a fenced water area, a kind of open-water pool. "We make sure that there are no ice fragments in the water area that can damage the suit. If it's clean, then everything is fine," the source told the publication.
The bottom is not being inspected. The depth here is about 3.5 m, and swimmers simply cannot reach it. There are two instructors for 15 people. One is in the water, the other is on the shore.
— All our instructors are qualified as a water tourism instructor. Instructors with the qualifications of a rescue sailor are also suitable for us. Both of them must have completed first aid courses. This is the basic standard," says Yulia Skroznikova. All sessions are mandatory during daylight hours.
In the Murmansk region, everything is organized a little differently, but the basic principles are the same.
— We are waiting for the queue to reach us and we will be checked. We believe that regulation is necessary because it is the type of tourism service that involves contact with the elements. We are talking about the life and health of people, the control of the relevant authorities, the Ministry of Emergency Situations is very, very important and even mandatory," explained the head of marketing and promotion of the travel company "A.The Sea", organizing ice-floating in Teriberka, Olga Kazhinskaya.
She confirmed that the company is now independently deciding what safety requirements to impose on its instructors and guests.
— We are faced with a huge number of nuances. Unfortunately, many representatives of ice-floating companies do not monitor the quality of their suits or any aspects related to their behavior on the water. They don't have the rescue equipment they need in an emergency," she said.
The station is located in a bay in the Barents Sea, which is closed from the wind, so the current there is minimal. The area for ice-floating is not fenced, one instructor accounts for a maximum of four to five people, if there are more people, one more is called.
— When preparing for diving, we warn that this is open water, and any adverse situations may arise. Together with the guests in the same costume, one or two instructors are present throughout the entire voyage and, if necessary, guide them," Olga Kazhinskaya said.
According to her, the more people there are, the harder it is to follow them. In addition, the wetsuits fit snugly to the head, which impairs audibility.
At the same time, there are no special suits for ice-floating. Currently, those that were developed for rescue on the water are being used.
— Our manager went to the manufacturing plant in order to get acquainted with the technology, improve it, make additional gluing so that the guests would be safe, comfortable and they would not get wet if they damaged any seam, — Olga Kazhinskaya explained.
Relaxation or extreme?
Organizers from different regions emphasize that ice-floating has little to do with extreme sports.
For example, in Moscow, Yulia Skroznikova notes, the main clients are women aged 25-45.
— There are men too, but, as a rule, they come to support their wives and girlfriends, and they rarely become initiators, — she explained. — It is more interesting for girls and is considered as a wellness activity, a way of unity with nature. For example, as an analogue of yoga, spa.
The companies say that in summer instructors conduct hikes along Lake Ladoga, the Barents and White Seas, along the stormy rivers of Karelia and Altai. That is, they work in harsher conditions. So, we can say that ice-floating is a winter relaxation for instructors.
Ice-floating on Lake Baikal is described as "an amazing combination of peace and delight" and it is emphasized that there is no extreme in it.
By itself, "floating" is a method aimed specifically at relaxation. It is used in spas and sanatoriums. A person is immersed in a capsule or a pool with a special saline solution that allows them to feel literally weightless. However, with such procedures, the water temperature usually corresponds to body temperature.
However, ice floating is still far from just floating: ice water, open water, the elements. According to the organizers and other experts, the danger should not be exaggerated, but rules are needed.
This is not the only high-risk service for which there is no standardization or minimum security requirements, Georgy Mokhov told Izvestia. In his opinion, this is due to the fact that regulatory documents are not keeping pace with the emerging market.
— It is impossible to cut off this issue, but I consider it wrong to leave everything as it is, since there have already been many cases of injuries and even deaths in the provision of various extreme services. Ice-floating is not the only extreme sport available, but it has made headlines as a result of a number of incidents," the expert concluded.
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