Following incidents that have occurred during trips into remote mountainous areas, the Director of the National Emergency Service, Skënder Brataj, has proposed building shelters in forests where tourists could seek refuge in emergency situations.
“Unfortunately, every year there have been fatalities. More people are visiting these areas now, but the mountains attract visitors throughout the year, and what concerns us most is winter, with the snow, changing weather conditions and shorter days. Unfortunately, there are also no roads for vehicles, so the only option is a helicopter,” Brataj said.
According to Brataj, foreign tourists are often the ones who choose to set out alone on such trips, but this is a mistake that should be avoided.
“Even when people travel with a guide, they should carry basic food supplies, water and simple medical supplies. A disinfectant, gauze and adhesive tape can help treat an injury on the spot,” he said.
While proposing a way to better manage unexpected situations and incidents in the mountains, the Director of the National Emergency Service referred to his experience in Turin, Italy, a model that he believes Albania should now adopt.
“When people got lost or stranded, we would ask them to send us their location by phone. This was not only so we could know where they were, but also so we could direct them to specific places where they could stop. These were shelters prepared for anyone passing through who might be caught by nightfall or bad weather, or who was simply exhausted. They could stop and even sleep there, and they could leave something behind — food, a drink or clothing. They are called ‘rifugi’ and are located every few kilometers. It is time for us to start building similar shelters here as well, at certain intervals,” Brataj said.
Emergency teams have carried out several search-and-rescue operations in mountainous areas, many of which have been successfully completed.
The post Mountain Tourism / Brataj Proposes Shelters in Forests for Tourists in Emergencies appeared first on Euronews Albania.
