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Uzbekistan is planning a major expansion of professional rescue services across its reservoir network, tighter safety rules for water-side tourism businesses and faster emergency response times, following a presentation reviewed by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on 20 October.
The presentation covered emergency response frameworks, the use of reservoirs and surrounding areas, and a package of safety improvements. Mirziyoyev said saving lives must remain the central priority in modernising the emergency response system and called for the adoption of a “golden minute” principle — a standard under which rescue teams would be required to reach incidents within five to seven minutes in urban areas and within 15 to 20 minutes outside urban centres.
From four reservoirs to fifty-six
The scale of the current gap is stark: professional rescue services operate at only four of Uzbekistan’s 56 reservoirs. Officials proposed building out a nationwide professional rescue system modelled on the existing operation at Karkidon Reservoir, which would bring structured lifesaving cover to the entire network for the first time.
To support that expansion, plans include training rescue divers through a dual-education programme at a dedicated rescue training technical school. Staff at tourism facilities near water bodies would also be required to complete emergency response and first-aid training.
New national institutions proposed
The overhaul goes beyond the reservoirs themselves. Officials proposed reorganising and re-equipping 25 fire and rescue units with modern equipment in cities and districts whose populations exceed 250,000. Three new national bodies were also put forward: a multidisciplinary special rescue centre to be called Madad, an aviation rescue unit, and a research centre for emergency management.
Improvements to the unified 112 dispatch service were also outlined, including end-to-end tracking of emergency calls from receipt through resolution and stronger information-sharing between relevant agencies. Wider use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence was identified as a further priority for the system.
Tourism expansion tied to safety compliance
Tourism services are currently available at five reservoirs, while another 25 have been identified as having development potential. Officials said those sites could attract investment, generate employment and increase visitor numbers — but stressed that safety requirements must take precedence over commercial considerations.
Under the proposed rules, tourism operators would need to obtain certification for their services and sign contracts with professional rescue organisations before operating near water. Recreation areas would be required to provide rescue boats, observation towers and signs indicating water depth at designated points.
No timeline for legislative or regulatory changes was announced following the presentation, and no budget figures were disclosed in the materials reviewed by the president.