Kyrgyzstan plans unified command for all rescue forces during emergencies

Kyrgyzstan is considering a new command system that would place every rescue force arriving at an emergency under one operational leader. The proposal appears in a draft presidential decree now open for public discussion.

Under the draft, the head of the emergency response or the head of the rescue operation would direct all personnel and equipment deployed to the scene. Its authors say a single chain of command would speed decisions and prevent different services from acting without coordination.

The proposed powers would also cover volunteers, relatives of injured people and untrained employees of other state bodies when they take part in search or emergency rescue efforts. The justification for the draft says that poorly coordinated actions by such participants can create additional risks and lead to injuries.

Another planned change would clearly distinguish between the active and passive phases of rescue work and establish maximum operating periods. This would allow teams to end searches that continue without a reasonable chance of success and distribute personnel and resources more efficiently.

The same rules would apply to operations in collapsed structures, road accidents, bodies of water and mountainous areas. Kyrgyzstan currently has no separate regulation defining the role of the person in charge of emergency response. The existing Emergency Situations Ministry instruction mainly governs the work of the ministry’s own rescue units.