Azarov orders around-the-clock work of operational headquarters for disaster response during holidays

Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov has instructed Head of the State Service for Emergency Situations Mykhailo Bolotskykh to ensure around-the-clock work of the operational headquarters for coordinating the actions of central and local government agencies to respond to emergency situations related to bad weather, the media liaisons department of the secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers has reported.

The head of government gave a respective instruction at a government meeting on Wednesday. The prime minister stressed the need to mobilize all services that could be involved in disaster management, in particular, the Interior Ministry, the Health Ministry, the Energy and Coal Industry Ministry, Ukravtodor, and utility services in the regions.

"The operational headquarters must operate around the clock," Azarov said, stressing the importance of the headquarters' work on weekends and holidays and the need to provide assistance at any time. He also stressed the need to accumulate the reserves needed to quickly respond to emergency situations, in particular, stockpile fuel and lubricants, a salt and sand mixture for sprinkling roads, etc.

The government's secretariat recalled that at a government meeting on December 17 it was decided to set up the operational headquarters for coordinating the actions of central and local government agencies to quickly respond to emergencies related to bad weather. The headquarters consists of the deputy heads of ministries, in particular, the Emergency Situations Ministry, the Defense Ministry, the Infrastructure Ministry, the Interior Ministry, the Social Policy Ministry, and the Health Ministry.