Officials outline institutional reforms at Rescue Service

The development of the Rescue Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia is being carried out in line with a concept developed and approved back in 2025, as a result of which institutional reforms have already been implemented in the structure, Acting Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Armen Mkrtchyan has said.

“On February 15 of this year, the Unified Operational Management Center was established within the Ministry of Internal Affairs, based on the Police Operational Management Center and the National Crisis Management Center of the Rescue Service. This merger has given our citizens the opportunity, when faced with various dangerous situations, to make an emergency call to a single telephone number (112) and receive a qualified and rapid response or consultation. In this regard, we have introduced a new unified call management system, setting an international standard as a benchmark for the quality of work. Accordingly, calls should be answered within 15 seconds. We have already determined that 67.6 percent of calls were handled in line with this standard. We will do everything to achieve a 100 percent result,” Mkrtchyan said at a press conference.

The acting deputy minister of internal affairs stressed the importance of developing the “Hotline” service, which, in addition to being a means of providing consultations, is important because it will reduce the number of calls made to 112, meaning calls requiring a more urgent and rapid response will begin to be handled much more effectively.

“We are continuously training the employees and personnel of the operational management center, particularly in communication skills,” Mkrtchyan said.

He added that organizational, organizational-legal and structural changes have also been taking place in the Rescue Service since last year, as a result of which there are now three departments instead of the former seven departments of the central apparatus.

“This was not an end in itself, and there was no goal of reducing [the number of departments]. We simply eliminated overlapping functions, and therefore placed similar functions within a single management framework, which has maximized management efficiency. We are also guided by this logic with regard to the territorial subdivisions of the Rescue Service, focusing particularly on the establishment of volunteer rescue stations and increasing their number. At present, such stations are already operating in 12 communities, serving 60 settlements. We will have one more in the near future,” Mkrtchyan said.

He added that the process of expanding and increasing the number of stations will be continuous, as this is considered a priority. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is also trying to develop this area institutionally by equipping the structure with new components. This particularly concerns increasing its attractiveness, work motivation, and ensuring social guarantees.

“The activities of volunteer rescue units are a very good example of state-society cooperation. The state provides these units and stations with transportation and equipment and conducts training, while citizens involved in volunteer units primarily provide their service to their own community, emphasizing the image of a citizen who embraces a culture of safety,” the acting deputy minister of internal affairs said.

Training in this area is also a priority, and therefore the education of rescue personnel is likewise carried out according to the principle of continuous education. Accordingly, inter-unit competitive activities have been launched, creating an environment of healthy competition. Personnel improve their skills and abilities through these activities.

“The material and technical resources of the Rescue Service are also very important to us, including transport equipment, rescue tools and building infrastructure. We have acquired 18 new firefighting and rescue vehicles, and we have a signed contract for the acquisition of six new vehicles. Within the framework of a program funded by the EU, we will have 10 new vehicles in the near future. We are implementing these changes with the aim of having modern and up-to-date equipment, and therefore, over time, we will abandon all obsolete equipment. Developments in the fields of urban development, roads and infrastructure in this area also force us to bring our own equipment in line with modern standards,” Mkrtchyan explained.

He said that a new building of the Rescue Service was commissioned in Stepanavan last year, while construction of the special water rescue station of the Gegharkunik Regional Rescue Department in Sevan has been completed. Construction of the new building of the Yeghegnadzor firefighting and rescue unit will be completed in the near future. Similar work will also be carried out in other regions.

Referring to the policy pursued in the field of disaster risk management, Mkrtchyan said that the Ministry of Internal Affairs is primarily focused on reducing and preventing disaster risks. In this context, particular importance is attached to the full establishment and development of an early warning system.

“Detecting a disaster risk at an early stage and having the ability to respond to it promptly through various tools will make it possible to reduce the potential negative consequences of a disaster. I should note that comprehensive and large-scale modernization of the seismic observation network has also begun. As a result, the accuracy of data related to seismic risks will be significantly improved, we will have early detection of seismic situations, as well as improved effectiveness in risk assessment,” Mkrtchyan said.