Regional Rapid Response Teams (RRRT) for a strengthened decentralized Rescue System in Armenia (phase I)

Project completed

SDC has a long standing collaboration with the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES), which showed notable progress in the sphere of Disaster and Risk Reduction (DRR). Considering the existing capacities on the level of light rescue and the country's risk profile, important needs especially at the regional level still persist. The project's overall goal is to strengthen the decentralized rescue system through improved response capacities of the responsible governmental institutions.

Regional Rapid Response Teams (RRRT) for a strengthened decentralized Rescue System in Armenia (phase I)

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Armenia
Education
Climate change and environment
31.01.2013 - 31.01.2015
CHF  957’000
Background

Armenia is highly prone to natural disasters, mainly earthquakes, but also landslides, floods and manmade disasters occur frequently, affecting seriously the population and challenging the responsible authorities. The government showed efforts to reduce its disaster risks. It signed the Hyogo Framework for Action, elaborated a national DRR framework and established a DRR platform. The MES is responsible for all types of disasters, it includes the Armenian Rescue Service (ARS) with central and regional branches and the Crisis Management Academy (CMA) for trainings. With SDC's support MES built up a nationwide local rescue system to tackle as first responders small scale emergencies. However, there are no regional rescue forces to handles middle to large scale disasters.

Objectives

The project's overall goal is to strengthen the decentralized rescue system of Armenia through improved response capacities of the responsible governmental institutions (MES) for the final benefit of the Armenian population. Therefore pilot RRRT shall be built up to manage regional to national scale disasters and a model for their replication shall be established. Further institutional capacities within the MES' (ARS and CMA) shall be strengthened through training and coaching to transfer thereafter the required know-how to the regions.

Target groups

Master trainers/instructors, rescuer and key staff of the Crisis Management Academy (CMA) and Armenian Rescue Service (ARS) under the MES.

Medium-term outcomes

  • 3 adequate equipped and trained RRRT respond more effectively and coordinated in case of a disaster event for regional and national deployment.
  • The quality of the training system and deployment and coordination mechanisms is improved through strengthened capacities of ARS/CMA.
  • Results

    Results from previous phases:  

    It is the first of two project phases. Through previous projects (mainly "Ardzagank" 2006-2011 ), SDC supported the MES to build up and improve a country wide local rescue system, with provision of training and equipment in basic rescue and medical emergencies.


    Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
    Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    957’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    879’459 Budget inclusive project partner CHF    1’024’800
    Project phases Phase 2 01.03.2015 - 30.11.2016   (Completed)

    Phase 1 31.01.2013 - 31.01.2015   (Completed)