During an initial meeting with Governor Ghukasyan, the heads of the region’s fire and emergency services, and other officials, it was determined that the delegation should focus on emergency services and fire safety, particularly on forest fire preparedness. The delegation then spent several days traveling throughout Syunik to gather on-site data, meeting local firefighters and evaluating conditions in Syunik’s forests, including the Arevik State Park and the Shikahogh Forest Preserve.
During these meetings, it became clear how much forest fires impact the local environment and communities and the significant challenge they pose for the region’s firefighters. Based on this dialogue, the need for additional training in advanced techniques for fighting forest fires and acquiring additional resources was apparent. The Foundation is currently working with the Syunik authorities to prepare a strategy to address these and other emergency preparedness needs and plans to kick off this program in 2024.