As a core force in responding to and mitigating the consequences of natural disasters, search and rescue, over the past years, cadres and troops of the whole military have managed to successfully accomplish the assigned tasks. Given the current complications and unpredictability of calamities and emergencies, the active involvement and effective operations of the military in the field are of significant importance.

Thoroughly grasping and implementing the Party and State’s guidelines and policies, resolutions and decrees of the Central Military Committee and the Ministry of National Defence on the mission of national disaster prevention and control, search and rescue, over the past years, party committees and commandants of units through out the military have actively given out leadership, direction on organizing and implementing the tasks and gained significant outcomes.

Illustrative photo

Notably, troops and cadres’ awareness of the mission have been changed positively. They have perceived this mission as political and a “combating mission in peacetime” of the military. Specialized force and its affiliates have perfected their structural organization and maintained regular operations. The coordination between the military and other ministries and localities in building plans and measures for practicing and exercising have been attached importance, hence creating a synergy in the implementation of the mission. Supporting facilities, such as stations, national centers for maritime and air search and rescue, etc have been planned, built and upgraded toward basic, solid direction and reasonably laid out through out the country for timely response to natural disasters and  emergencies. This serves as ground for units to improve their capability in carrying out the mission. Besides the achievements gained, there still remains shortcomings in terms of awareness, responsibility, situation prediction, force and vehicle preparation, etc which badly affect the implementation of the mission.

Over the past 5 years, under the leadership and direction of the Ministry of National Defence, the General Staff, the whole military has deployed over 515,000 involvements of cadres and troops and 45,000 vehicles for the mission, effectively responded to 14,000 cases, particularly the collapse of Phan Me coal mine in Thai Nguyen province in 2012, the HAIYAN storm in 2013, the search of the MH370 plane and the collapse of the tunnel of the Da Dang hydro power plant in Lam Dong province in 2014, etc. Accordingly, more than 19,000 victims and 2,500 vehicles were rescued (including hundreds of foreign victims and vehicles); 2.5 million of boats were directed to the safe place in the condition of storms; over 10.3 million of people were evacuated safely. Contributing to the achievements, thousands of cadres and troops have endured difficulties, hardships, dangers and even sacrificed their lives. This is a clear manifestation of their will and spirit of “serve for the people”, “sacrifice for the people” in cases of calamities of “Uncle Ho soldiers”, contributing to lessen the loss of properties and human lives, stabilize social life and create favourable conditions for socio-economic development, defence and security consolidation, deserving the praise by the Party, State, localities and people. Moreover, the effort also asserts the core role of the military in the mission.

In the coming years, due to the impact of    global climate change, it is forecasted that there will be further complications and unpredictability in the weather and meteorological conditions causing more natural disasters and emergencies with increasing scale and severity. To be active in dealing with calamities and emergencies, the whole military should focus on the following issues:

1. Strengthening propagation and education to raise awareness and responsibility of cadres and troops of the mission.

2. Thoroughly carrying out preparation; focusing on making plans, enhancing the quality of training and exercising in reality.

3. Closely coordinate with other ministries, branches and localities to create synergy in carrying out the mission.

Lieutenant General Pham Hoai Giang, Director of the Search and Rescue Department