MOSCOW. Nov 27 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia's civil defense forces will be reformed in 2004 for their architecture to meet the needs of future State Rescue Forces.
"The Board of the Emergencies Ministry on Wednesday said that the bulk of the reform aimed at future state rescue forces is scheduled for 2004," a competent source in the ministry told Interfax-Military News Agency Thursday.
The source also said the alert procedure for non-military civil defense organizations would be specified; commanders would be additionally trained and their skills evaluated.
According to the Emergencies Ministry, by 2004 the civil defense forces in Russia will have slightly more than 20,000 personnel.