On July 29 the Collective Center of Civil Protection Forces of the Civil Protection Department of the Rescue Service organized and conducted a special tactical exercise at the administrative building of the Nor Hachn enlarged community in Kotayk Province on “Organization and execution of demining operations in the administrative building area upon detection of an explosive object.”

The purpose of the exercise was to:

• Assess the readiness of response forces in addressing assigned demining tasks;
• Enhance the practical skills of the personnel from the firefighter-rescue and engineering unit in carrying out complex demining operations;
• Raise awareness among the municipality staff and visitors about safe behavior rules when encountering explosive objects.

The exercise began according to the pre-planned scenario: a staff member called 911, reporting the discovery of a suspicious explosive object inside the building. Upon arrival, the firefighter-rescue group and Police Patrol Service officers blocked off the area and maintained a security perimeter until the demining team arrived. Meanwhile, an evacuation of those inside the building was carried out. At the simulated incident site, demining units from the firefighter-rescue and engineering squads proceeded with the designated operations.

Wearing protective suits and helmets, the deminers identified and determined the type of explosive device based on its characteristics. It was found to be a hand grenade with a detonator, but missing the lever, which made it extremely dangerous. Following the instructions of the demining operations team leader, an explosion-protective shield was deployed. The grenade was safely neutralized, brought to a transport-ready condition, placed into an explosion-proof container, and transported to a specialized disposal site for final neutralization.

The response teams demonstrated a high level of preparedness and coordination, successfully carrying out the detection, identification, and neutralization of the explosive device. The professional skills of the demining personnel from the firefighter-rescue and engineering units were effectively integrated with strict safety protocols, allowing the threat to be eliminated in a timely manner within the building premises.

Such exercises aim to reduce disaster risks, particularly by raising public awareness, strengthening preparedness, and enhancing the effectiveness of cooperation between government agencies, local self-government bodies, and organizations.