The Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) will hold a large-scale celebration for the residents of Vitebsk today, as reported to BelTA by Marina Fando, the official representative of the Vitebsk Regional Department of the MES.
The MES will hold a large-scale celebration for the residents of Vitebsk today, as reported to BelTA by Marina Fando, the official representative of the Vitebsk Regional Department of the MES.
The celebration will start at 17:00 with a parade of fire-fighting equipment from Zhestkova Street along Lenina Street to the lower platform of the Summer Amphitheatre. Here, there will be car drifting on a "foam lake", a fire-fighting relay race, simulated response to road traffic accidents with vehicle rollovers and other types of emergencies, and a performance by high-rise rescuers. MES aviation will be involved in the celebration with the parachute landing of rescuers. For a greater effect, the event will be accompanied by pyrotechnics.
During the celebration, visitors will have the opportunity to try on fire-fighting gear, participate in tyre rolling, carrying fire extinguishers, and transporting casualties. All these challenges will be undertaken while wearing compressed air breathing apparatus.
A children's play area, "The Magical Book of the MES," with various activities will be organised for young guests. The exhibition of equipment and machinery will feature both modern and historical vehicles used by rescuers, including a horse-drawn water tender. Additionally, the programme includes mass sports and entertainment games, as well as contests for children and adults. Evgeny Shavchenko, a representative of the Belarusian Federation of Power Extreme, has been invited to the celebration and will attempt to pull a 7-tonne fire engine.
"A total of 16 units of equipment will be involved in the event, and a field kitchen will be operational. We hope the weather will cooperate, but adjustments to the programme may be made depending on the conditions," explained Marina Fando.
165 years ago, on 25 July 1853, the Minsk City Duma and the provincial board considered the issue "On the New Organisation of the Fire Brigade in Minsk and the Approval of its Staff." Since it was from this time that the organisation of fire safety was finally placed on a state level, this day was adopted as the beginning of the establishment of the fire service in the country.