The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia is launching a new training project to restore the mountain-rescue training program. The project sets out to provide a safe working environment for individuals working in mines and quarries and will be implemented on the premises of the Georgian Technical University.

Mikheil Chkhenkeli: “The most important task of our government is to connect education and science with the daily life of our citizens, the development of the country. In this regard, the new project of the Ministry, the restoration of the mountain rescue training program on the premises of the Technical University, is an important initiative. Its main purpose is to strengthen the safety and protection of the lives of our citizens working in mines and deep quarries.

The Mine-laboratory is equipped with modern technologies and is ran by competent professors and specialists of the field, creating fully fledged conditions for young people to immerse themselves. I believe that many of them will be enthusiastic about mastering this necessary public profession, which will ultimately improve the working conditions and quality of life of many people.”

The training mine-laboratory of the Faculty of Mining and Geology of the Georgian Technical University provides a favorable condition for the continuous process of theoretical and practical training, which fundamentally changes the practice of training mining engineering personnel. Considering the entire set of underground mining processes, a training mine-laboratory was designed and constructed, equipped with appropriate machinery, mechanisms, vehicles, and equipment in 1986-1991. The mine-laboratory is a combination of horizontal, inclined, vertical tunnels and chambers, supplied with mining equipment, mechanisms, and automated means of production process management. The total length of the tunnels is within 1000 meters. The depth of their placement is 16 and 30 meters above the ground. All favorable  conditions are here for the student to fully immerse themselves.

Technical University Rector, Professor Davit Gurgenidze positively assesses the initiative of the state to restore the training program for mountain rescuers, to train and retrain the staff. “The initiative of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia to restore the mountain rescue training program is a timely and necessary step forward. It is important for us to support the Ministry in implementing this project, as well as justify the confidence expressed towards the Technical University”. Stated Professor Gurgenidze.

Representatives of the Department of Emergency Management of the Ministry of Internal Affairs inspected the training mine-laboratory to assist in implementing the project effectively.

"Our main goal was to get acquainted with one of the most important laboratories of the Faculty of Mining and Geology, and to determine whether it is feasible to use the base to study the safety norms that must be observed during mining in general. In fact, the Emergency Management Agency is involved in mining operations in the country. In cooperation with the Technical University, with the participation of their professors and teachers, the firefighters of the Emergency Management Service will be trained here. The mining laboratory is  truly unique, but specific details need to be updated” -  Stated Roin Varshanidze, Head of the Emergency Management Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.