Proactive in incident response, natural disasters and search and rescue

Attending the conference were representatives of the General Staff of Military Region 4; Comrade Dinh Viet Hong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; representatives of affiliated agencies and units, units of the Ministry of National Defense and Military Region located in the area. Colonel Tran Van Hung - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Commander of the Provincial Military Command chaired the conference.

From 2013 to 2018, the province experienced 9 storms, 2 tropical depressions, 77 tornadoes and hailstorms, 56 fires and explosions, 131 forest fires, 119 accidents at sea and drowning, causing great loss of life and property of people in the province.

Closely following local realities, over the past 5 years, the Provincial Military Command has thoroughly grasped and strictly implemented directive documents of the Government, the Ministry of National Defense and the Military Region; proactively advised local authorities to direct and effectively organize incident response, natural disaster response and search and rescue.

Officers and soldiers of the Nghe An Provincial Military Command help people in Hung Nguyen harvest rice during the flood season. Photo: Trong Kien

From 2013 to 2018, the provincial armed forces and military units stationed in the area mobilized 71,793 officers and soldiers of regular units and militia and self-defense forces, mobilized 212 rescue boats, 21 firefighting vehicles, 671 cars to evacuate people from flood areas, conduct search and rescue, fight fires, forest fires and overcome the consequences of incidents.

Typical examples include mobilizing forces and means to help people prevent and overcome consequences in the circulation after tropical depression and storms No. 10, 11, 14 in 2013; searching and rescuing pilots and Su30-MK2 aircraft that crashed at sea on June 14, 2016; participating in protecting the Vinh River dike after storm No. 10 in 2017...

Comrade Dinh Viet Hong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee gave a speech at the conference. Photo: Trong Kien

Speaking at the conference, comrade Dinh Viet Hong emphasized: “Over the past 5 years, the Provincial Military Command has demonstrated its pioneering role in responding to incidents, natural disasters and search and rescue; thereby contributing to building and strengthening the solidarity and close relationship between the military and people in the province…”.

At the same time, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee also pointed out the existing limitations such as: The consultation and coordination work of some units with local Party committees and authorities in implementing the "4 on-site" motto has not been highly effective. The mobilization of forces and means in overcoming incidents and natural disasters is sometimes passive and confused...

Officers and soldiers of the Provincial Military Command reinforced the Vinh River dike during storm No. 10 in 2017. Photo: Phong Quang

Concluding the conference, Colonel Tran Van Hung emphasized: “In the coming time, the weather situation in Nghe An province will continue to have many complex and unpredictable developments. Agencies and subordinate units need to thoroughly grasp the content of natural disaster prevention - search and rescue is an important task of the armed forces in peacetime; thereby proactively preparing plans, strategies, forces and means to be ready to carry out tasks in all weather conditions;

When incidents and natural disasters occur, it is necessary to closely coordinate with local authorities and military units stationed in the area to effectively respond to and search and rescue according to the "4 on-the-spot" motto; actively propagate the results of the response tasks and help people of the armed forces, and examples of good people and good deeds on the media.../.