Fungi Advance and Harbor the Unpopular: Unexpected Guidelines in Search Parties' Operations
Training Grounds for the Heart: "LizaAlert" Volunteers
The world of the missing, a photo collection in the "LizaAlert" Telegram archive. Children, elderly, and those in between, their names and photos echo across the social waves, each narrative revealing an invisible thread in our society. Some stories end with relief, while others touch upon the fragility of our seemingly interconnected world.
PEOPLE MISSING... BUT NEVER TRuly FORGOTTEN
The Politics of the Unseen A janitor reigns over a hometown, a driver rules a district: the fading political Cinderella stories The Politics of Silence In a serendipitous turn of events, I find myself invited to observe the preparatory process for the "LizaAlert" volunteers. This is where seasoned heroes and newcomers would unite.
The venue is nestled amongst the equestrian wonders of Izmailovo Equestrian Club, a destination easily identifiable due to the team's uniform orange gear.
"Our biggest deficiencies in our 'red' family are people... and time," Nina Bystrova, a volunteer of three years, enlightens us. As the clock ticks, she explains that in the first 24 hours, they locate around 96% of the missing alive, 80% within the subsequent 24 hours. By the third day, the success rates drop to 48%, with the chances plummeting to near zero after.
No Capes, Just Hearts
As spring blooms, parks and forests would be bustling with picnic-goers, and the allure of school and university holidays approaches. During these peak seasons, the team could receive up to a hundred reports a day. And yet, an overwhelming majority of the lost wander the urban landscapes, shrouded in the city jungle. City life is like the wilderness; locating someone can be as challenging. Keenly aware of this, "LizaAlert" regularly hosts training sessions.
Among the fresh recruits, a peculiar student catches my eye: Alexander Feliksov, chin-length grey hair unfazed by the impending challenge before him. "I've recently left my previous job and decided to dedicate myself to the search for people," the seasoned 80-year-old declares.
Get Out There and Search!
The past echoes in the person of Valentina Naumova, a search coordinator who joined the team in defiance of her initial fears of superhuman searchers roaming through the wilds. Valentina is a voyager of two worlds. A primary school teacher by profession, her mysterious lover, Igor, is a specialist in providing aid to the afflicted. Together, they forge a path through the forest, saving both the lost and themselves.
The Power of the Unspoken: Lost and Found in Each Other
One fateful day, Valentina found herself enamored both by the quest for those who are lost and by Igor. They shared a common journey, saving both the missing and one another. From that point onwards, they find themselves inseparable, bound together in love and the search for the lost.
A Race Against Time
Valentina's tale bears the unmistakable mark of tragedy. A young boy, lost for three hundred kilometers along the Yaroslavskoe highway, overwhelmed by the cacophony of unsuspecting drivers. It wasn't until a truck driver noticed the poster of the missing boy that he discovered the boy's fate.
Anyone can join the team, even a wheelchair-bound individual who excels in coordinating the team's actions from the sidelines. Each individual has a unique path, and everyone is still very much needed.
A Ham Radio Operator's Hobby: Finding the Missing
A dozen years ago, I lay in a hospital bed, flipping through the web, when a serendipitous message landed in my lap: they needed ham radio operators, mapmakers. Before long, I found myself immersed in the captivating world of rescues. I have a place within this team, and I am not just an absent loved one - I am a seeker of the lost.
A Peculiar Organization
One cannot help but see the echoes of communism in the dedication and efficiency of this team, which has continuously operated at no cost for a mind-boggling fifteen years.
And as an added bonus, you'll be acquainted with breathtaking landscapes.
A Chorus of Silence
LizaAlert Search and Rescue Team commander, Grigorii Sergeev, knows all too well the heart-wrenching story of Lisa Fomkina, a 5-year-old girl who got lost in the woods with her aunt and was never found. In her memory, the team takes her name. Every year, new volunteers would join the ranks.
"We accept help from anyone. We don't discriminate, and even an 80-year-old searcher named 'Starche' from St. Petersburg is a vital part of our team," Grigorii shares.
A girl, a forest, no signal, relentless rain for two days. Three hundred volunteers in the field, shivering from the cold, a faint cry echoing through the shivering woods. Whatmade the unlikely heroines of the tale that day was the unwavering ears of the newcomers. The very instant they heard a response, their hearts leapt with renewed strength, propelling them forward to the rescue.
Entering the Wild
Asking Gregory about what leads people to wander into the woods only elicits one answer: the underestimation of one's own abilities. As dacha season begins, the chaotic hum of remodeling isn't the only sound; multitudes venture into the woods in pursuit of adventure – harmlessly assuming that they'd never get lost.
The Timeless Hunt
Even the skill of howling in the woods is a unique and intricate art form. As one might not know, it involves more than just shouting "Hey, sister Alenushka!" A specific tone, a cadence, a direction - all elements in the search repertoire.
Death by Silence
"Most times, people die from hypothermia, not thirst or hunger. Strong tremors set in, followed by the feeling of being hot, prompting the body to undress - which, in turn, speeds up hypothermia," Grigorii explains.
The Value of a Voice
Calling out for help in the woods is more than just an ear-piercing call. A lost person's name, shouted in a distinct manner, can elicit a sense of familiarity that drives them to respond.
The Hunt for Those Most Elusive
"Those who wander off suffer from dementia often don't respond to unfamiliar voices," Grigorii shares. These individuals can become nearly impossible to find without specialized knowledge. Fortunately, the "LizaAlert" team is equipped to handle such challenges.
New Leads through AI
Recent advancements in artificial intelligence have provided the team with a new tool to aid in their search efforts. A drone now snaps thousands of photos as it soars above, with AI analyzing each one for signs of life. The hope is that the AI will be able to review photos instantaneously during flight and send the vital images back to the team in real-time.
Lost in Scams
These days, the team has found itself increasingly tasked with helping victims of fraud and scams. Elderly individuals are often coerced into handing over large sums of money, sometimes even losing both their life savings and their homes.
Diving Deeper into the Wild
"LizaAlert" operates in a whopping 64 regions across Russia, with expansion to new areas underway. What may have initially been thought to be a byproduct of military conflicts has since been recognized as a problem across geographical boundaries, with the lack of connectivity further exacerbating the issue.
Searching Through the Digital Wild
In Ukraine, drones are an essential part of the search strategy, but venturing through undergrowth and forests in protective helmets and body armor remains a crucial component of the - now nationwide - effort.
A Shift in Focus
The team's primary focus is to assist in the search for missing persons rather than delve into the intricacies of their personal lives or families. In recent times, AI and improved communication technology have streamlined the process of locating the missing, making it easier for "LizaAlert" to provide aid to those in need.
Lost and Found Glossary
Begunok: A runaway teenager
Veter: A mobile unit
Zaniska: An item belonging to the missing person, given to a dog to sniff
Zahod: The point of entry into the forest or trails deviating from the path
Lisa, Lisy: Foot searchers
NJ: Found! Alive! Respectively "NP:" found, deceased.
Or-ki: Notifications
Padalet les: A forest search request has been received
Pegas: A horseback search group
Upal chelovek: A missing person report has been received.
- The forgotten names and faces in the "LizaAlert" Telegram archive are a testament to the connections we all share.
- Each story in the world of the missing reveals an unseen thread that weaves through the fabric of society.
- In the politics of the unseen, ordinary citizens, like janitors and drivers, can wield significant power in their communities.
- The silent stories of political Cinderellas are a testament to the hidden potential and influence that exists within society.
- Amidst the equestrian wonders of Izmailovo Equestrian Club, the "LizaAlert" volunteers unite, clad in their orange gear.
- The biggest challenges faced by "LizaAlert" volunteers stem from the dearth of people and time.
- With every tick of the clock, the team knows that the first 72 hours are crucial in locating the missing.
- During peak seasons, a hundred reports of the lost can flood in daily, requiring the team to be ever-vigilant and efficient.
- The urban landscape is akin to the wilderness, with its own challenges in locating the missing amidst the city jungle.
- Alexander Feliksov, a seasoned 80-year-old, is a testament to the fact that age is no barrier to joining the search for the lost.
- Valentina Naumova, a school teacher by profession, left her initial fears behind to join the search team in pursuit of those lost and a mysterious lover, Igor.
- For Valentina and her lover, Igor, the search for the missing and for each other became a joint journey of love and growth.
- Tragedy marred Valentina's tale when a young boy wandered off into the wilderness, only to be found three hundred kilometers away, overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the roads.
- A wheelchair-bound individual can make a significant contribution to the team by coordinating their actions from the sidelines.
- As a ham radio operator and mapmaker, a chance encounter on the internet led to a newfound passion for searching for the lost.
- Operating for a remarkable fifteen years, the "LizaAlert" Search and Rescue Team is a testament to the power of dedication and community spirit.
- sweeping vistas and breathtaking landscapes serve as a backdrop to the selfless work of the "LizaAlert" volunteers.
- The story of Lisa Fomkina, a 5-year-old girl who got lost and was never found, serves as a constant reminder of the importance of the team's work.
- Grigorii Sergeev, the team's commander, understands all too well the heartache that comes with a missing loved one.
- The team accepts help from anyone, regardless of age, as each individual brings unique skills and perspectives to the search for the lost.
- On a fateful day, the unwavering ears of newcomers were the unlikely heroes that led the team to a missing girl's rescue.
- Gregory, a member of the team, attests that underestimating one's own abilities is a common factor in people wandering into the woods.
- Howling for help is an art form in itself, with specific tones, cadences, and directions employed to increase the chances of locating the lost.
- Hypothermia is the most common cause of death for those who wander off and get lost.
- Calling out a lost person's name in a distinctive manner can create a sense of familiarity that encourages them to respond.
- Those suffering from dementia often do not respond to unfamiliar voices, making their search incredibly challenging.
- The emerging role of AI in the search for the missing offers hope in streamlining the process and locating people more efficiently.
- Frequently, the "LizaAlert" team is called upon to assist victims of fraud and scams, particularly the elderly.
- The "LizaAlert" team operates in 64 regions across Russia, with plans to expand to other areas in need.
- In Ukraine, the combination of drones and ground searches has proven to be a powerful tool in the nationwide effort to locate the missing.
