Rescuer Day in Kazakhstan Date in the current year: October 19, 2024

Kazakhstan didn’t have a government agency tasked with overseeing emergency services until 1988. Two years after the Chernobyl disaster, the Council of Ministers of the USSR created the Permanent Emergency Commission, tasked with eliminating the consequences of natural and man-made disasters. Each of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union established its own Permanent Emergency Commission (later renamed Commission for Emergency Situations) under its Council of Ministers.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, it took some time to revitalize and reshape Kazakhstan’s Commission for Emergency Situations. During the first years of Kazakhstan’s independence, it was law enforcement officers who usually had to assist firefighters and paramedics in case of disasters, acting as rescuers.

Finally, the State Committee for Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan was officially created on October 19, 1995. The anniversary of its creation is now celebrated in Kazakhstan as Rescuer Day. The holiday was officially established in 2008.

In 2004, the Committee was transformed into the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Ten years later, the Ministry was downgraded to a committee in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. However, in 2020, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reinstated the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan oversees the elimination and prevention of man-made and natural emergencies, fire prevention and extinguishing, fire and industrial safety, civil defense, as well as ensures the functioning and improvement of the country’s civil protection system.

The main activities of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and its subordinate agencies include fire safety, emergency prevention, response to emergency situations and emergency rescue operations, emergency medical services, psychological assistance to survivors of emergency situations and their families, civil defense, industrial safety, maintenance of the civil protection notification system, and formation and development of the state material reserve.

The profession of a rescuer is one of the most dangerous and respected professions in most parts of the world. Rescuers receive extensive training so that they can help people in all kinds of emergency situations and dangerous environments, ranging from fires and natural disasters to industrial emergencies of various scales. They risk their lives on a regular bases to save the lives of others, so they definitely deserve to be celebrated.

On the occasion of Kazakhstan’s Rescuer Day, festive events are held at the Ministry of Emergency Situations, as well as at fire departments, ambulance stations, etc. They include remembrance ceremonies in honor of rescuers who died in the line of duty, award ceremonies, concerts, etc. Like most other official professional holidays in Kazakhstan, Rescuer Day is not a non-working day unless it falls during a weekend.