One year has passed since the devastating flood. On the night of May 25 to 26 in 2024, the Debed River was restless.

They had never witnessed a flood of this magnitude while the people of Lori were no strangers to the swelling of the Debed.

Vahagn Simonyan, who had conducted the service in the Rescue Service for a quarter of a century, said he could not recall a disaster of such scale.

The experienced rescuer, who had witnessed countless emergencies over the years, recalled how unbelievable it was that the river could rise so high and reach people’s homes.

From the very first moments of the disaster, the Tumanyan Fire and Rescue Squad of the Lori Regional Rescue Department united as one, dedicating themselves to the humanitarian mission of helping their fellow citizens.

The commander of Tumanyan Fire and Rescue Squad, r/s Lieutenant Colonel Armen Barseghyan told that the squad alongside the Fire and Rescue Squads from all regions of the country, carried out round-the-clock duty honorably fulfilling the complex mission they were assigned.

“The top priority was to save people to evacuate them from blocked areas and move to safety”, said Armen Barseghyan, emphasizing that people were unexpectedly caught in the grip of the floodwaters and in such situations, a rescuer simply was not able to make mistakes.

The Rescue Service conducted its difficult and highly responsible mission with honor. The rescuers' dedicated and heartfelt service did not go unnoticed: Tumanyan Fire and Rescue Squad was named the Best Unit of 2024.

The results of the disaster had largely been overcome, life in Lori had returned to its normal course and the rescuers of the best unit continue their vigilant and conscientious service without ever letting their guard down.