ONGOING PROJECT
Based on a decision from the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia #402-A, the program initiated by VAL Charitable Foundation and sponsored by SYUN “Establishment of the Emergency Response Regional Training Center” was qualified as a charitable program for a period of 3 years.
This is a big step and it will help us to make significant progress in achieving our goal of preparing the population of Syunik and Armenia in general for emergencies.
This program is SYUN’s major project and many very important sub-projects have been accomplished in the framework of it.
- Jump-start: An unused building in Goris that was formerly serving as an ambulant clinic is used as a facility for the training center. Not only regular first aid courses will be conducted in this center, but it will also serve as an emergency response hub in the region. The building requires some repair work. It has already been partially remodeled. Some roof repairs and other works are performed, and others are in progress.
- First Aid Training: In the Emergency Response Training Center in Goris we already have rooms furnished with the necessary equipment and supplies for the courses. First Aid training sessions continue in this regional training center in Syunik.
- Transportation: Today many roads in Syunik have become inaccessible and many villages can only be reached with the use of off-road vehicles. The Emergency Response Center in Goris needed to access these villages in order to provide assistance and with our community’s help we were able to raise necessary funds, acquire and donate such a vehicle to VAL.
- Communication: Instructors and trainees at Goris ERTC, locals of Syunik got connected thanks to the installed radio-communication system. This system was installed in the framework of this project and provides independent communication in this border region and will help in facilitating the evacuation and first aid when necessary.
- Rapid response in action: The rescue team of 22 trained by our senior instructor of the ERTC in Goris demonstrated the team’s ability to deal with emergencies in real life. This happened during Azerbaijan’s aggressive actions around the Armenian village of Sotk. Team members are wide-awake and on the alert 24 hours a day and they act immediately when the moment comes.
- New building: Our Emergency Response Training Center moved to a new building in Goris. 2 years ago an unused building in Goris that was formerly serving as an ambulant clinic was provided by the local government of Syunik to VAL as a facility for establishing the training center. The contract was signed for 3 years, but 3 months ago the government demanded that the building be vacated by October 1st. Since we intend to stay and operate in Syunik for a long time, a building was purchased with private funds and provided to VAL for further activities of the center.
