URCS training as part of winter preparation takes place in Kyiv region

Large-scale training of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) rapid response teams as part of winter preparation took place in Kyiv region.

"Comprehensive emergency response training was held over the weekend in Kyiv region. The training aimed to increase teams' readiness to work during the cold season and in the event of possible power and heat supply disruptions and an increase in calls during the winter," the URCS reported on Monday on Facebook.

Volunteers from rapid response units in Kyiv, Poltava, Khmelnytsky, and Mykolaiv regions, as well as from the National Committee of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society, took part in the training. Participants practiced rescuing victims in water, evacuating people from the upper floors of buildings using additional equipment, organizing the registration of affected individuals and working with spontaneous volunteers, setting up a tent camp, and operating a field kitchen. Rescue operations on the water were supported by rescuers and divers from the Vyshhorod District Department of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, who also coordinated high-altitude rescue activities.

In addition, the participants discussed coordination between different services, interaction at the site of an emergency, the responsibilities of each agency, and the mobilization of necessary resources. The training served as a platform for dialogue among representatives of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, the police, emergency medical services, and city and district military administrations.

"Such exercises make it possible to practice the response algorithms of Ukrainian Red Cross Society volunteers and specialized services during emergencies – especially in winter, when the workload on emergency services increases," the Ukrainian Red Cross Society emphasized.