Penza, 26 December 2011. PenzaNews. More than 1.5 thousand persons were rescued thanks to actions of the employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in the Penza region in 2011. The chief of the department Sergey Kozlov informed about it at the press-conference on Monday, December, 26th.

Sergey Kozlov said: “358 persons have been rescued at fires, 1 219 persons have been rescued in the road accidents, 8 persons have been saved in water”.

He added that thanks to actions of the employees of the ministry material assets for a total sum of more than 57 million rubles were saved.

Summing up year, Sergey Kozlov admitted that the number of fires decreased by 14 % in comparison with the similar period of the previous year. There were 1 479 fires in the Penza region according to data on Monday, December, 26th 2011.

The chief of the department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia in the Penza region said: “Although, the number of victims has also decreased this year. 285 persons were lost, but, at the same time, 358 persons were rescued. The main cause of ignitions is that we don’t know how to deal with fire carefully.”

According to Sergey Kozlov, the movement of volunteers developed actively in region in 2011.

The head of the department said: “On the territory of the Penza region 707 teams of volunteers were organized. There are more than 2 thousand persons in them. They helped to stop 190 fires that is 12.8 % of the total number of fires”.

According to the chief of the ministry, there are some important results of 2011. The fire engine station for 4 cars was built in Austrina street and will be put in operation in the first quarter of 2012. According to Sergey Kozlov, the new fire station will allow to solve the problem existing in the Octyabrsky disctrict of the city, namely — to reduce time of reaction for a call so that it didn't exceed the specification.

Answering the questions of journalists concerning the on plans for 2012, Sergey Kozlov named the further realization of the project on creation of the system of emergency call services with the universal number “112”.

He explained: “The success of any rescue operation depends on two factors — time of detection of an emergency situation and time of reaction to it. Number “112” will allow to shorten time for reaction”.

The second important problem which must be solved in 2012 in the Penza region is the development of the uniform dispatching services on the territory of municipal unions which will allow to organize operative information transfer about emergency situations and to accept the right decisions about their liquidation.

It is important also to pay attention to the further development of movement of volunteers in 2012.

Sergey Kozlov said: “It is planned to unite the volunteers at Penza universities. They should be ready to assist us in liquidation of the emergency situations. New equipment will be provided for them”.

In end of the meeting the head of the department congratulated the employees and the veterans of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia in the Penza region, and also firemen, military men and other experts involved in liquidation of the emergency situations on Day of a rescuer which is celebrated on December, 27th.

Sergey Kozlov said: “The life-saving service history is full of examples of courage and heroism. The problems which are solved by the employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia are usually very risky for life. And I want to wish, that after each working day, after each call the rescuers came back home alive and healthy”.