Vitebsk hosted ceremonial events dedicated to Rescuer's Day and the 25th anniversary of the emergency services
On Pushkin Street in Vitebsk, despite the snowy weather, it was crowded today, as many distinguished guests came to congratulate the conscripts and employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations on the upcoming professional holiday and anniversary.
Among them were not only rescuers themselves, including the head of the Vitebsk Regional Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Colonel of the Internal Service Sergey Meleshkin, veterans of the emergency services, but also representatives of the regional and city authorities – First Deputy Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee Anatoly Linevich, Aide to the President – Inspector for the Vitebsk Region Sergey Levkovich, Chairman of the Vitebsk City Executive Committee Gennady Sabinich, heads of law enforcement agencies of the Vitebsk Region, clergy of the Vitebsk Diocese.
The solemn event began with an oath. In honor of the 25th anniversary of the emergency services, 25 employees hired by the emergency services of the Vitebsk region took an oath of allegiance to Belarus, their profession, and the people.
Addressing the recruits, Sergey Meleshkin emphasized that today the Ministry of Emergency Situations is an operational department that performs a wide range of tasks, both in rescuing people and in preventing and eliminating emergencies of a natural and man-made nature. He also expressed confidence that the broad capabilities and technical potential will allow the Ministry of Emergency Situations to continue to successfully realize itself as a state body.
– Today you are speaking important words that must be put into action in service and in life. Our main task is to benefit people, our Fatherland, – noted Sergey Meshkin. – I wish that each of you strives to become a general, tries to help people, both during leisure time and when responding to emergencies. The most important thing that the Ministry of Emergency Situations has today is the trust of the people, which we must preserve and multiply. –
For the recruits and their loved ones, the oath became a very moving and significant event. For example, Anastasia Polessova, an inspector of propaganda for the Gorodok Regional Department of Emergency Situations, dreamed of becoming an officer since childhood, and this year her dream became a reality.
– Today is a very touching and significant day for me. My love for serving my country and people was instilled in me by my father, who was a police colonel. I have been working towards my dream of becoming an officer in the Ministry of Emergency Situations since 2015, holding various civilian positions, and only this year will I celebrate Rescuer's Day in this rank, – said Anastasia Polessova.
Another significant event of the evening was the handover of keys to new vehicles and emergency rescue equipment to the heads of the regional departments of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Vitebsk region.
– The Ministry of Emergency Situations always comes to the rescue when a person is in a difficult situation, but in real-time, it is very difficult to do without equipment, which is the basis for the safety of our people. Therefore, today, by the decision of the regional executive committee, we are handing over technical means that will save more than one human life in skilled hands, – emphasized Anatoly Linevich.
Now 10 Geely Emgrand 7 sedans will appear at the Vitebsk Regional Search and Rescue Unit, the production and technical center of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Gorodok, Verkhnedvinsk, Dubrovno, Liozno, Chashniki, and Tolochin regional departments of emergency situations, as well as the Polotsk and Orsha city and regional departments of emergency situations. The Vitebsk City Department of Emergency Situations and the Senno Regional Department of Emergency Situations received two AC-10.0 fire trucks, while the Tolochin and Shumilino regional departments of emergency situations were equipped with two AL-30 fire ladders. The vehicle fleet of the production and technical center of the Ministry of Emergency Situations was replenished with a minivan, and the Vitebsk Regional Search and Rescue Unit received a medical service vehicle.
The gifts for rescuers did not end there. Sergey Levkovich handed over the keys to new two-room rental apartments in Vitebsk to 8 employees of the emergency departments and units of the Vitebsk region.
– Undoubtedly, the safety of the population is one of the main directions of our state's policy. On this pre-holiday day, I want to note the highest level of work of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the regional department, in particular. You honorably perform your official duty and ensure the safety of the population of the entire region, – emphasized Sergey Levkovich. – I am very pleased to fulfill such an honorable mission and hand over the keys to 8 rental apartments to you. Last year, 46 were built, and this year, the construction of another 108 apartments for employees of the regional department is planned. I wish you success, may your families only grow, and may peace, comfort, and mutual understanding reign in your new apartments.
As noted by Sergey Radishevich, senior instructor-rescuer of PSCH-4 Vitebsk, who attended the event with his wife Alina and son Egor, the rental apartment became a long-awaited gift for their family. They had been on the waiting list for rental housing since 2021.
– I am very glad that there is such an opportunity, thanks to the Decree of our President, to receive rental housing, – noted Sergey Radishevich. – I am grateful to the state and the regional department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations for the opportunity to raise my children and serve for the benefit of the people and our country.
The culmination of the festive events was the award ceremony for the best employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations for the 25th anniversary of the emergency bodies and units, which took place at the Yakub Kolas National Academic Drama Theater.