The session of the Collegium of the Ministry of Emergency Situations was held
On January 21, extended session of the Collegium was held in the Ministry of Emergency Situations, which was chaired by Andranik Piloyan, Minister of Emergency Situations. The session started with the ceremony of presenting the national flag of the Republic of Armenia and the flag of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The results of the activities done in 2021 were summed up. Heads of all the subdivisions of the Ministry participated in the session of the Collegium. Lilit Mirzakhanyan, Secretary General of the Ministry of Emergency Situations presented the results of the activities done throughout the year by the department of Development of Disaster Risk Reduction Policy, Legal department, Fire and Technical Safety Investigation department, Foreign Relations department, Financial and Economic department, department of Buildings and Constructions Maintenance and Economic, division of Information and Public Relations, division of Human Resources Policy, Secretariat and MES Agency for State Reserves. Drawing a comparison, the results of the activities done in 2021 by the subdivisions mentioned above surpassed the index of the previous year. Positive dynamics has been recorded also in completing the assignments on time.
Comparing to 2020, in 2021 the quantity of outdoor warning sirens nearly doubled, 204 new outdoor warning sirens were acquired and placed in the settlements, out of which 100 were placed in Yerevan. 224 warning sirens were renovated and replaced. As a result of the modernization 1000 outdoor warning sirens are placed. Works are carried out to import the data of outdoor warning sirens placed in the territory of the Republic of Armenia to electronic maps. R/s colonel Armen Gasparyan, director of Rescue Service, presented the activities of all the subdivisions of the service. The buildings of fire-rescue squads of Gyumri 2 and Akhuryan were renovated and reconstructed completely. New building of Ashotsk fire-rescue squad is still being constructed, works on the buildings of fire-rescue squads of Stepanavan and Baghramyan and on the project of designing Sevan water-rescue base are still carried out. The director of Rescue Service considered complementing the technical equipment as a result of cooperation with various organizations to be a great achievement, in particular, providing all the regional rescue departments with UAVs, 4 of which are intended to implement special activities. The trucks that were transferred from MoD to MES are to replenish the car park of the regional squads. In 2021 all the stations of RS civil defense were complemented with computer devices and digital radio set, and the staff was provided with individual military uniform. Some changes have been made in the design of the uniform, the order of providing uniform and the term of their use. Throughout the year, the rescue service was complemented with more than 1400 firefighter uniforms, which allowed to provide all the staff of fire-rescue servicemen with individual military uniform and elements of uniform for the first time.
Hamlet Matevosyan, Rector of Crisis Management State Academy particularly mentioned the achievements of the academy and the projects. Last year, 295 students entered Crisis Management State Academy and 251 students graduated. They were hired in MES, Police and MoD. According to the decision of the Government of the Republic of Armenia for 2020-2021 academic year 90 free places were given to the average professional educational program of the academy. The students making high progress got scholarships from the state. IT laboratory was established in the academy. Search and rescue and scientific-practical activities have been carried out with the use of UAVs. Metal constructions were developed to increase the passability of small robot, which gave an opportunity to lower down and raise the robot by a ladder having 650 slope. Activities on overcoming water obstacles with UAVs, as well as developing some mechanisms on strengthening the ropes were implemented. The plans of the academy of the upcoming year are ambitious.
According to the report of Sos Margaryan, director of “Seismic Protection Territorial Survey”, data on 2547 earthquakes were recorded in 2021. The main parameters of 503 earthquakes were operatively determined. Keeping the special objects in the center of attention, the investigation of the technical conditions of the buildings is still being conducted and passport activities have been implemented. 70-80 % of the buildings existing in Armenia have high level of vulnerability and the issue of seismic protection continues being included in the agenda.
According to the report of Vardan Gevorgyan, director of “National Center of Technical Safety” SNCO, in 2021 2.599 contracts were signed to conduct expertise, 10.517 hazardous industrial objects were provided with expertise conclusions, out of which 8 were negative. 1.518 specialists of technical safety got education in the educational center. SNCO fully implemented the organization and management of ensuring technical safety activities of hazardous industrial objects exploited, being prepared for exploitation, conserved or dismantled in the territory of the Republic of Armenia.
R/s lieutenant colonel Armine Hayrapetyan, the representative of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in foreign states and international organizations, presented the results of the international cooperation referring to the project of the activities of Senda DRR (Disaster Risk Reduction). According to the report the new opportunities created as a result of implemented activities and cooperation are aimed at consolidating the efforts and engaging communities and local self-government bodies in the disaster risk reduction activities.
The Minister expressed his gratitude to the representatives of the system for humanitarian activities and devoted service. Minister Andranik Piloyan highly appreciated the activities of the staff and the rescuers of MES implemented in 2021 and mentioned the activities for the upcoming year: “In 2022, the improvement of the conditions of the buildings remains an important issue for us. Surely, we have a lot to do to exchange the obsolete cars that are exploited in the subdivisions of Rescue Service and to get technical equipment using both the means of state and various charities. Of course, in addition to the achievements mentioned above, there are also shortcomings, for which there is a lot of work to be done, but I am sure that together, with dedication and dignified work, we can support our people in this difficult period.”
At the end of the session, the Minister awarded the winners of different nominations of the annual awards ceremony “Constellation of Courage” on Human Security and Rescue, the officials and staff members who supported in the process of raising public awareness were encouraged. Head of the department gave extraordinary awards, medals and titles to a number of rescue servicemen.
Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Armenia
