What seem like failures can sometimes bring positive changes to our lives, and once-closed doors can create opportunities to reach new horizons. Ten years ago, it was just such a closed door that determined Mikael Poghosyan’s path to the Rescue Service. “The door to our house had shut. It was made of iron, and we couldn’t open it”, he recalled.

“We called 911. The rescuers responded very quickly and opened the door. It was from that moment that I decided to become a rescuer”, said Mikael Poghosyan. Leaving behind a professional football career, he joined the big family of the Rescue Service. He assured that he has never once regretted that decision: it was the best one he ever made.

The senior firefighter of No. 1 Fire and Rescue Squad of Gyumri said that a rescuer must be mentally, professionally and physically prepared for challenges, but most importantly, they must have the willingness and readiness to help people. “A rescuer must have that deep sense of humanity. The desire to help others must be very strong”, he added.

According to Mikael Poghosyan, ten years of experience and knowledge have taught him patience and resilience in the face of difficulties. Over the years, the young rescuer had responded to numerous emergency calls, but he particularly recalls one: a fire had broken in an apartment on the 9th floor of a building in the Boulevard block. Inside were eight people, seven of them children. The team responded quickly and safely evacuated everyone.

For r/s senior sergeant Poghosyan, every life saved was a personal victory, every call without loss. It was likely this sense of responsibility and dedication to his service that earned him the title of Best Rescuer of 2024.

Although Mikael Poghosyan doesn’t like to speak openly about his goals and dreams, he was confident that this achievement was just the beginning. He had only one wish: those emergencies become fewer and fewer, people live safely and securely.