A story about the Glubokoye District Department for Emergency Situations

May 17, 2021

People have suffered from fires throughout the ages…

People have suffered from fires throughout the ages…

Here is what is said in one of the first documents about a severe fire in Glubokoye, dated July 7, 1700. “Fires were a real natural disaster. Wooden houses, mostly, were located very close to each other, their roofs were thatched or made of shingles, so when a fire broke out, the flames spread with lightning speed, engulfing large areas. The fire destroyed a third of the city, leaving more than five hundred people homeless. The "Radziwill" part of Glubokoye burned. The destruction could have been even greater if not for the Berezvitsa River, which flows almost in the center of the city.”

In another document titled "Connotation of the burning of the city of Glubokoye by Mr. Chancellor Karl-Stanisław Radziwiłł," we read: "…80 private houses burned down, 50 barns, 40 shops with all goods, 60 granaries with various goods, wax, and various grains burned down, 30 storehouses with household items…."

Thus, according to the "Inventory of the Glubokoye Estate" for 1704, two "watchmen" were on duty at night among the townspeople, and it can be said that these are the first official mentions of a fire service in the Glubokoye region. Also, the townspeople of that time were obliged to regularly clean chimneys and fireplaces. A ladder was prescribed to be on the roof of each house, and a barrel of water and buckets were to be placed near the house itself.

In more than three hundred years, the fire service has evolved from 2 "watchmen" on night duty to an emergency situations department with 85 employees who have undergone training, received appropriate qualifications, and are equipped with modern technology with water reserves of up to 10 tons and equipment.

Today, the structure of the Glubokoye District Ministry of Emergency Situations includes 2 fire and rescue units in the city of Glubokoye and the urban settlement of Podsvilye, as well as 1 fire and rescue post in the village of Zyabki, with a total simultaneous duty crew of up to 22 people, and two garrison officers.

The Glubokoye District Emergency Situations Department can be called a close-knit family, headed by Vasily

Vladimirovich Zavadsky. He began his career in the Ministry of Emergency Situations in the distant year of 2001 as a post chief. And thanks to conscientious and proactive work, having gone through almost all areas of service, he now heads an entire department. Vasily Vladimirovich leads an active lifestyle, participates in various competitions, and is an example for all personnel.

The direction of inspection, supervision, and prevention is headed by the First Deputy Yermakovich Ruslan Vladimirovich:

– I came to work in the inspection in the distant year of 2009 and over so many years I have become so immersed in this area that I cannot imagine myself in any other position. Together with my colleagues, we are engaged in regulatory and technical work, administrative practice, inquiry, and licensing, and we also place great emphasis on fire prevention work in residential areas. After all, it is in the private housing stock that the overwhelming majority of fires occur. I am confident that through joint efforts, we can achieve the elimination of fire risks.

The Deputy for Operational and Tactical Work, Romanenko Vladimir Mikhailovich, is responsible for skillful and prompt actions to extinguish fires and other emergencies, who has been working directly in the fire fighting service for over 18 years. Vladimir Mikhailovich shares his rich experience with young employees, many of whom have joined the department in the last two years. The Deputy for Operational and Tactical Work is also an active participant in various competitions, where he often takes prize-winning places.

The Deputy for Ideological Work and Personnel Support, Solodky Oleg Petrovich, is responsible for staffing the department and the team climate:

- I was appointed to this position in 2019, and it is an absolutely new area for me. Here, I gladly learn a lot of new things about my colleagues, because previously, working as a supervision and prevention inspector, I had completely different functions. In my work, I like to be useful to people – to help solve various everyday problems. I consider the team of our department to be a large, cohesive team that is capable of solving any range of tasks.

"Professionalism, honor, and courage" are not empty words for the employees of the Glubokoye District Department for Emergency Situations, and there are no random people in the rescue service itself. We also want to add that the Glubokoye RDCS is not only 85 people who walk

to work, but it also includes the families of rescuers, veterans of emergency services and units, as well as all those people who have been helped, are being helped, and will be helped by rescuers.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations reminds: in case of an emergency, call 101 and 112.