On the eve of the Christian holiday "Epiphany of the Lord", which is traditionally accompanied by Epiphany bathing, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan reminds citizens about safety measures.
This year, in preparation for the holiday, 250 official places for mass bathing in winter will be organized in the regions of the country. The full list of safe ice holes can be found in local executive bodies and Emergency Departments.
Special attention should be paid to the fact that today not all places fully comply with safety requirements. Work on the equipment of all facilities will be completed before the start of the holiday.
To ensure the safety of citizens in places of mass bathing at Epiphany, 2,395 employees will be on duty, including rescue divers, emergency response teams and police officers. 588 units of special transport will be used for rapid response.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations urges citizens to observe the following safety rules during Epiphany bathing:
- before diving into the ice hole, make sure that your health allows it. People with chronic diseases and heart problems are advised to refrain from bathing.
- the water temperature for safe bathing should be at least 0 degrees.
- you should only swim in specially prepared and safe places.
- Avoid places with strong currents and underwater rocks.
- dive in company, avoid solo dives. It is better if there is someone nearby who can help.
- wear warm clothes and non-slip shoes.
- before diving, it is recommended to warm up your muscles and prepare your body for cold water.
- Dive quickly and don't stay underwater too long to avoid hypothermia.
- follow the queue, do not crowd at the edge of the ice hole. After bathing, quickly wipe off and put on warm clothes.
We remind you that last year more than 72,000 people took part in mass Epiphany bathing. The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan draws attention to the importance of observing all safety measures to prevent accidents.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/emer/press/news/details/919183