PSF proactively prepare for possible natural disasters in 2018

• Minister of Public Security orders public security forces to actively respond to natural disasters
• Training course on rescue and natural disaster prevention held for judicial police
• Border guard force ready to respond to natural disasters

The conference saw the presence of Lieutenant General Bui Van Thanh, Deputy Minister of Public Security, and Head of the Steering Committee for Climate Change Response, Disaster Prevention and Control, Search and Rescue under the Ministry of Public Security.

In 2017, the Central Party Committee of Public Security and Ministry of Public Security gave drastic directions to their subordinate agencies and units on the missions of climate change response, natural disaster prevention and rescue; promptly provided additional funds, vehicles and supplies for fire police units and local police departments before the rainy season.

Therefore, all police forces became active and more effective in responding to natural disasters, floods and accidents, contributing to minimizing human and material losses caused by natural disasters and accidents, and underscoring the important role of the Public Security Forces (PSF) in preventing natural disasters and mitigating the consequences.

In particular, in 2017, the MPS issued 29 Dispatches requiring police units and agencies in localities to proactively respond to 16 storms as well as rains, floods, tropical low depressions and landslides across the country, and set up 6 working missions to instruct and check the work of preventing and responding to all natural disasters. The MPS also deployed 125,000 police officers and soldiers and 4,520 vehicles in coordination with other forces to overcome the consequences of rains, storms, floods, landslides, fires and explosions.

The PSF also advised the Minister of Public Security provided financial supports to 33 damaged police units, hard hit by the storms. The MPS also actively provided materials and means for local police units to prevent natural disasters and carried out rescue missions before the rain and storm season. 

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister Bui Van Thanh urged the Steering Committee of the MPS and fire police units and provincial-level police departments to implement effectively directives of the Government and instructions of the MPS; closely coordinate with functional forces and localities; actively prepare sufficient vehicles, materials and technical equipment; maintain on-duty forces in response to natural disasters and incidents; draw up plans to prevent and respond to natural disasters, floods while ensuring security and order and traffic safety.

Deputy Minister Bui Van Thanh also asked relevant forces to well implement the regulations of reporting, strictly maintain on–duty forces, and ensure safety of the communications network connecting between the MPS and local police units and agencies so as to quickly respond to any situations.