2009 was summarized

On February 2 this year the Armenian Rescue Service of the RA Ministry of Emergency Situations summarized 2009, recorded its success and dereliction. The works performed were a lot and the Deputy-Director of the Armenian Rescue Service, General-Major Vrezh Gabrielyan presented them in detail.

Thus 7035 emergency cases were recorded, 462 people died, 5787 people were wounded in Armenia in 2009. 3675 cases were manmade and 397 were natural and 2963 were social-domestic. Last year the firefighting-rescue subdivisions responded to 7354 calls of which 2450 aimed at fire extinguishing. The Special Rescue Detachments responded to 1508 calls.

23 people were drowned and 20 were rescued in 2009.

Last year the biggest event towards the operative preparation for the population protection system was the International Training Exercise “ARMENIA 2009” on “Urban Search and Rescue Groups Action During Severe Earthquakes” in the framework of the INSARAG, after which two ARS collaborators were included in the INSARAG Council.

2009 was productive for international cooperation as well. The works on “Civil Protection Capability Development in Armenia” towards implementation of the Armenia-Sweden-Estonia tripartite Project were continued.

The works in the framework of the Project “Ardzagank” to be implemented together with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation were preceded in the result of which all the firefighting rescue detachments of Armenia were provided with rescue equipments and goods.

The cooperation with NATO, UN, Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Kansas National Guards, RF Ministry of Emergency Situations and other international structures is proceeding.

“Last year was successful for technical assistance as well. Due to the Grant Project as signed with the Government of Japan we shall receive fire vehicles costing 8 million dollars in April-May this year”,- informed RA Minister of Emergency Situations Mher Shahgeldyan.