Chief of the General Staff and Deputy Defense Minister General Nguyen Tan Cuong attended the event.
Over the past years, generations of officers and soldiers of the department have stayed united, overcome difficulties and successfully fulfilled all assignments with many missions completed with outstanding results.
Attentively, the department has given suggestions to help develop and improve a system of legal documents, strategies, plans, and state-level projects, creating a legal framework for civil defense and emergency response activities.
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General Nguyen Tan Cuong delivers his speech. |
It has strictly observed duty regulations, pro-actively grasped situational developments, promptly advised higher authorities to direct and effectively handle incidents, disasters, natural calamities, diseases and environmental issues, thereby minimizing losses of life and property.
Notably, as the standing office of the National Civil Defense Steering Committee, over the past decade, the department has advised to mobilize nearly 3 million personnel, more than 85,000 vehicles, effectively respond to over 20,000 incidents and natural disasters, and rescue nearly 50,000 people and over 3,000 vehicles. It has also organized nearly 400 training courses on search and rescue; directed the organization of 26 provincial-level civil defense, incident and disaster response and research and rescue exercises.
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Gen. Cuong presents flowers to congratulate the Department of Search and Rescue. |
With its attainments, the department was honored with the title Hero of the People’s Armed Forces in December 2025.
Addressing the meeting, Gen. Cuong congratulated the department on its achievements. He asked it to continue to embrace higher level directives on military and defense tasks and civil defense.
The defense leader requested it to strictly maintain civil defense duty, closely monitor weather conditions, incidents, natural disasters, catastrophes, fires, explosions, diseases, and environmental issues, among others in order to give timely recommendations on response.
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Director of the Department of Search and Rescue Lieutenant General Doan Thai Duc speaks at the meeting. |
The department was urged to focus on renewing and improving the quality of civil defense training and exercises; reviewing, supplementing and perfecting the system of legal documents on civil defense and emergency situations in line with practical requirements; boosting information dissemination. It should also pro-actively expand cooperation with other countries, especially neighboring ones, in information sharing; promote research, transfer and application of scientific and technological advances to enhance capacity in response and recovery; strengthen internal unity; and promote traditions, gain greater accomplishments.
Translated by Mai Huong