Armenian Search and Rescue team prepares for 2028 INSARAG  International Re-Accreditation

ArmInfo. The Armenian search and rescue team is preparing for its international INSARAG re-accreditation, scheduled for 2028. To test the team's readiness,  36- hour exercises involving mentors from Switzerland took place in  Gyumri from August 10 to 13, according to the press service of the  Ministry of Internal Affairs of the RA.

Welcoming the participants, Director of the Rescue Service and Acting  Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Aram Ghazaryan noted that this is  a great opportunity for the Armenian team to improve its knowledge  and skills, gain international experience, and clarify what steps  need to be taken in various situations. According to him, the  observations and suggestions of the mentors will help the team better  prepare for the upcoming re-accreditation. 

"We are supporting the Armenian team in the retraining process.  During these exercises, we want to understand the team's level of  readiness, assess its strengths, and identify tasks that need to be  accomplished over the next two years. Nine specialists from  Switzerland are participating in management, search and rescue  operations, medical, and logistical assistance," said David Sochor,  head of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Rapid Response Team and leader of  the mentoring group.  

At the conclusion of the exercises, Aram Ghazaryan, members of the  Armenian team, and the mentors summed up the results. They discussed  the team's strengths, identified existing challenges, and outlined  the steps necessary to ensure full compliance with international  standards. The exercises provided an opportunity to test the  readiness of the Armenian search and rescue team in conditions close  to reality, and the recorded results will serve as the basis for  further capability enhancement and proper presentation at the  international re-accreditation.