Pavlodar Region: Rescuers Seek Lower Retirement Age Amid Strain of Risky Work

Rescuers from the Pavlodar region have formally appealed to authorities, requesting that the retirement age be lowered to 55, Orda.kz reports.

Under current rules, rescuers retire at 63.

However, many began their careers in the early 2000s, when Kazakhstan’s specialized rescue units were just being formed. Today, many of them are between 50 and 57 years old. The average age of personnel in the Pavlodar operational rescue team is 47, with the oldest worker now 61.

At this age, it’s difficult to go mountaineering, diving, or deployment to the regions where there are emergincies, and rescue people. That’s just human physiology,' said Valery Arkhipov, head of the regional emergency rescue department. 'We keep ourselves physically fit, but the reality is that by 55, retirement becomes necessary.'

Rescuers raised the issue during a meeting with Majilis deputy Azhar Sagandykova.

They highlighted a key legal gap: unlike other divisions within the Ministry of Emergency Situations, operational rescue services are not considered “certified bodies,” which means their employees are not eligible to retire based on length of service.

'We’re seeing a lot of positive developments — better equipment, technology, and support,' one rescuer said. 'But this issue has been unresolved for years. And there are only around two thousand of us in the entire country.'

Operational rescue teams in Kazakhstan were first formed 31 years ago. Today, they include divers, climbers, dog handlers, international specialists, and other high-risk professionals.

Original Author: Alina Adilova