The Minister of Emergency Situations Sends a Message to Rescuers

When speaking about a rescuer, it is impossible to refrain from using the word "hero," which is the highest accolade for the work you have done. This is stated in the message of the Minister of Emergency Situations on the occasion of the Day of Emergency Situations Workers.

“Dear employees, dear rescuers, I congratulate all of us on the occasion of the Day of Emergency Situations Workers. Since its inception, the Ministry of Emergency Situations has had a humanitarian mission. It includes rescue services, seismic safety, and technical safety. Over the years, the agency has gone through many trials, which have contributed to the establishment of the ministry and the formation of trust among the public.

The experienced specialists of the Seismic Protection Territorial Service are implementing seismic risk reduction measures aimed at ensuring the seismic safety of the state and society in Armenia and Artsakh, which allows us to conduct monitoring 24 hours a day and assess the seismic situation in the country, taking into account Armenia's geographical position and the fact of being located in a seismic zone.

The main goal of the National Center for Technical Safety is to organize and implement the functions of ensuring technical safety in hazardous production facilities that are operated, prepared for operation, conserved, or decommissioned in the territory of the Republic of Armenia.

Finally, there is the rescue service, which is the backbone of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. It performs the main functions of coordinating the actions of public administration and local self-government bodies, organizations in extraordinary situations aimed at preserving the life and health of our citizens, as well as the environment, material and non-material values.

Being a rescuer is a mission, and time and again our rescuers have proven this with their selfless work, often at the cost of their health and lives, saving thousands of lives. Over the years, our rescuers have improved their skills and today are capable of providing professional support in any disaster-affected country, which speaks to their professional, operational, and high moral-psychological preparedness and service performance.

Apart from disaster risk management and population protection, we also ensure the safety of our citizens and guests at public beaches. I am pleased to note that for the second consecutive year, there have been no drowning incidents registered under our watch, and 100 citizens have been rescued.

All this, of course, is impossible to achieve without adequate technical and support provisions. And, to our delight and for the benefit of the citizens, the government considers it a priority to ensure the technical equipment of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. A striking example of this is the 1.2 billion AMD allocated by the government, which we will direct towards the acquisition of new equipment, specifically the purchase of fire-rescue vehicles and improving building conditions.

A few days ago, yet another challenge was overcome by the forces of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The tragic incident at the "Surmalu" shopping mall once again demonstrated to our society that we can respond appropriately, carry out firefighting and search and rescue operations—even in the case of an unprecedented disaster. A total of 1,388 rescuers were involved in firefighting and rescue operations.

Under the real threat of fire, rubble, and building collapse, our rescuers were performing their official duties in a 24-hour mode, which allowed us to save 10 lives. It is no coincidence that the superhuman efforts they put in were once again recognized by the public.

This is just a portion of our daily work; however, around the clock, we respond to and service our citizens' diverse calls—from minor household issues to serious and large-scale incidents.

And we carry all this out with love, honor, dedication, guided by the highest humanitarian motto: "Humanity is the highest value." Once again, I congratulate you on your professional holiday, dear rescuers and employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. May your strength, dedication, selflessness, courage, and responsibility towards the work you undertake serve as a solid foundation for the safe daily life of our citizens and homeland. When speaking about a rescuer, it is impossible to refrain from using the word "hero," which is the highest accolade for the work you have done.”