On 3rd of March 2026, Mr. Michael Opriesnig, Secretary General of the Austrian Red Cross, and Mr. Vahe Sargsyan, Program Manager of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) Coordination Office for Technical Cooperation in Armenia, visited the Talin Volunteer Fire Rescue Group in the Aragatsavan Volunteer Fire Rescue station.

The Austrian Red Cross delegation also included Mr. Walter Hajek, Head of International Cooperation, Ms. Katarina Baničević, Team Leader Europe, Ms. Antonia Filka, Online Fundraising and Mrs. Kristina Ispiryan, Country Coordinator in Armenia.

The event was also attended by Mr. Arthur Kirakosyan, Head of the Rescue Forces Department of the Rescue Service Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia,  Mr. Arthur Nazaryan, Deputy Head of Talin Community, Mr. Gurgen Tadevosyan, Head of Aragatsavan Administration, Mr. Aram Stepanyan, Secretary General of the Armenian Red Cross Society, and representatives of Armenian Caritas, Ms. Zina Hovhannisyan and Mr. Suren Avdalyan.

Volunteers and VolFiRe project team presented to the guests the Volunteer Fire Rescue station, the PPE, fire extinguishing, rescue and first aid equipment, fire truck with its loading plan and all the educational material developed during the project and made available for the ARCS volunteers and the Rescue Service officers.

This event was followed by a simulation exercise organised by the Armenian Red Cross Society, the Rescue Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, the Aragatsavan Administration, and the Community of Talin.