IN THE SNOW CAPTIVITY

On a deserted highway, among the bare steppe, six cars got into a snow drift and got stuck.

A young family with a newborn baby in their arms, who, together with his mother, had just been discharged from the hospital and taken home, was also captured by the storm.

The head of the family, without leaving the car, contacted the Ministry of Emergencies by cell phone. But the rescuers could not help because of the great distance from the scene. Peering into the impenetrable snow mist, the man feverishly thought about what to do next. There was the deserted steppe all around. The nearest village is tens of kilometers away. And walking blindly, with a baby in her arms, in the absence of visibility and a strong gusty wind with a blizzard, was unrealistic. And it is very risky.

In the midst of the raging snow, the spouses were sitting with fear and anxiety in a cold (fuel had to be saved) car for several hours. But to their great luck, the employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations contacted the border guards.

***

The weather began to deteriorate even after lunch. First, snowflakes fell from the sky. The wind picked them up and carried them away. With each passing hour the hurricane intensified and was already spinning the snowflakes like a whirlwind. Heavy snow clouds hung over the ground. Soon one of them - a huge white one clouded most of the sky, and then covered the entire horizon. It seemed that heaven and earth merged into one. So, on March 10, 2021, a storm began in the Uzunkol district of the Kostanay region.

In such weather, if possible, it would be better to stay at home, covered with a warm blanket, watch the bad weather through the window, or spend time reading an interesting book. But, as a rule, on a weekday, despite the serious blizzard, many people had a lot of things to do, responsibilities that cannot be delayed.

The Head of the Ubagan border department, Major Beisenov Kurmet, relying on life experience, gave the command to the personnel to be ready for non-standard situations, and to the foreman to prepare the special equipment of the unit: MTLB, tractor, snowmobiles. In such bad weather, anything can happen and you need to be fully armed so that at the first need to move forward to provide assistance to people in trouble. Indeed, in the 30 km district, there will be no one to help the local population except the border guards.

The officer was absolutely right.

At 10 p.m., the border guards learned about the people who were captured by the snow.

The Head of the department decided to help the citizens in trouble and sent an «Alarm Group» after them.

Meanwhile, the blizzard intensified. The frost was growing stronger. Visibility was zero. But the bad weather did not frighten the servicemen. They were afraid of only one thing - not to be in time. After all, in such a cold, freezing was a simple matter.

The driver of the tractor, senior technician, warrant officer Sergei Keshchin, gazing intently at the snow-covered road, made his way through the snowdrifts.

At the same time, Colonel A. Zhumakhmetov and the servicemen of the Border Service Department in Kostanay region left Kostanay to help their colleagues, risking losing their way. In addition, two groups led by Colonels N. Narbayev and M. Yergaliyev moved forward on two snowmobiles.

Time was running out inexorably, and people in trouble were still not visible. The border guards rode in complete silence. Each of them in their souls experienced their own storm of emotions and worries about the life of the baby, his parents and other citizens. The road seemed endless, and the blizzard seemed to be some kind of powerful and evil element.

But in the distance, through a snowstorm, the border guards saw faint flashing headlights. Sergei Keshchin turned the tractor in their direction. Time was running out inexorably, and people in trouble were still not visible. The border guards rode in complete silence. Each of them in their souls experienced their own storm of emotions and worried about the life of the baby, his parents and other citizens. The road seemed endless, and the blizzard seemed to be some kind of powerful and evil element.

The car was almost completely covered with snow. The soldiers had to dig the equipment out of a snowdrift. Finally, having opened the car doors, they took the hands of the already completely desperate man and woman who had chilled. The father of the family said with a tremor in his voice: “I knew, I believed that it was the border guards who would surely save us. You are real heroes. Thank you!»

Then, through the blizzard and howling wind, the border guards took the family couple with the newborn to their department, where they were fed and warmed with hot tea.

Happy young parents assured that while their baby is growing, they will tell him about the bravery, courage and responsiveness of warriors in green caps. Moreover, in the future, their son will definitely become a border guard, because they owe their lives to them!

In general, 22 people were evacuated that night by the servicemen of the Border Service Department of the KNB in the Kostanay region.

In whatever harsh living and climatic conditions the border guards serve, none of them hardens soul. They are always ready to lend a helping hand.