Circular No. 05/2021/TT-BCA on emergency response to accidents, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations by the People's Public Security Forces

CIRCULAR
Regulations on the activities of responding to emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations of the People's Public Security Forces
search and rescue operations by the People's Public Security forces

Based on the Law on Prevention and Control of Natural Disasters dated June 19, 2013; the Law amending certain articles of the Law on Prevention and Control of Natural Disasters and the Law on Dike Management dated June 17, 2020;, amended and supplemented by Decree No. 109/2025/NĐ-CP and Decree No. 193/2025/NĐ-CPm, amended and supplemented by Decree No. 109/2025/NĐ-CP and Decree No. 193/2025/NĐ-CP amending some provisions of the Law on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and the Dyke Law dated June 17, 2020;June 2024;ng 6 năm 2020;

Based on Decree No. 30/2017/NĐ-CP dated March 21, 2017 on the organization and operation of responding to emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations;, amended and supplemented by Decree No. 109/2025/NĐ-CP and Decree No. 193/2025/NĐ-CP functions and activities related to responding to emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations;

Based on Decree No. 83/2017/NĐ-CP dated July 18, 2017 on cooperation in rescue and firefighting operations of the fire prevention and firefighting forces;ngfire prevention and firefighting rescue operations;

Based on Decree No. 160/2018/NĐ-CP dated November 29, 2018 detailing the implementation of certain articles of the Law on Prevention and Control of Natural Disasters;

Pursuant to DecreeNo. 01/2018/NĐ-CP dated August 6, 2018 on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Public Security;

At the proposal of the Office of the Ministry of Public Security;June 2024;under the Office of the Ministry of Public Security;

The Minister of Public Security issues this Circular regulating the activities of responding to emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations of the People's Public Security Forces.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular regulates the activities of responding to emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations; training and drills for performing tasks related to responding to emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations of the People's Public Security Forces.

Article 2. Principles of responding to emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations

1. Information about emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations must be promptly reported to the People's Committee and competent authorities where the emergency or disaster occurs.

2. Actively prepare forces, means, and equipment in a timely manner to serve response activities; mobilize the comprehensive strength of the entire population and participating forces in responding to emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations, with the armed forces being the core.

3. Implement according to the principle of "four localities" (command at the spot; forces at the spot; means and materials at the spot; logistics at the spot), ready to respond promptly and effectively.

4. Unified command, close coordination among participating forces in responding to natural disasters and search and rescue operations; ensure safety for people and means participating in responding to natural disasters and search and rescue operations; contribute to minimizing losses caused by natural disasters and emergencies to the lowest extent possible.

5. Heads of units under the Ministry of Public Security assigned to perform tasks related to responding to emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations, and local public security agencies are responsible for directing the implementation and urging, inspecting the implementation of programs and plans for responding to emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations; promptly report to the Ministry of Public Security and the Steering Committee for Response to Climate Change, Disaster Prevention and Control, Search and Rescue, and Civil Defense of the Ministry of Public Security when there is a situation beyond their capacity and authority.

Chapter II

SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

Article 3. Mechanism for Command and Control in Responding to Emergencies, Natural Disasters, and Search and Rescue Operations

1. The Ministry of Public Security, pursuant to the division of labor of the Chairman of the National Steering Committee for Response to Emergencies, Natural Disasters, and Search and Rescue, directs the Public Security Units and Localities to coordinate with functional forces in responding to emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations for wide-scale emergencies or disasters directed by the National Steering Committee for Response to Emergencies, Natural Disasters, and Search and Rescue.

2. The Steering Committee for Response to Climate Change, Disaster Prevention and Control, Search and Rescue, and Civil Defense of the Ministry of Public Security: Directs responses to large-scale fires in high-rise buildings, urban areas, industrial zones, and residential areas; directs Public Security Units and Localities to participate in performing tasks related to responding to emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations within the scope and field under the Ministry of Public Security's responsibility.

3. The Command for Response to Climate Change, Disaster Prevention and Control, Search and Rescue, and Civil Defense of the Public Security of provinces and centrally-administered cities: Directs functional forces under its management to participate in coordinating responses to large-scale fires in high-rise buildings, urban areas, industrial zones, and residential areas locally; performs responses to emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations within the scope and field under its responsibility and upon request from the Ministry of Public Security.

Article 4. Developing emergency response plans for accidents, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations

Units under the Ministry of Public Security assigned to carry out tasks related to accident response, natural disaster prevention, and search and rescue operations shall proactively develop emergency response plans for accidents, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations; organize training and drills for emergency response plans appropriate to the risk levels of accidents and natural disasters; regularly adjust and supplement these plans annually or during specific periods according to actual conditions or as required by the Ministry of Public Security, Provincial Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue Command Boards.

Article 5. Duty roster for receiving, processing, disseminating, transmitting, and providing information on accidents, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations

1. Duty roster for receiving information on accidents, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations

a) The permanent office of the Steering Committee for responding to climate change, natural disaster prevention, search and rescue, and civil defense under the Ministry of Public Security is the central point for receiving information on accidents, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations from the National Steering Committee for Responding to Emergencies, natural disaster prevention, and search and rescue, and local public security agencies.

b) The Command for responding to climate change, natural disaster prevention, search and rescue, and civil defense under provincial and centrally-administered city public security agencies shall establish a hot-line using the duty phone number of the provincial or centrally-administered city public security agency to receive information related to accidents, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations from the Ministry of Public Security and provincial or centrally-administered city People's Committees.

2. Processing information

a) After receiving information on accidents, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations, the Steering Committee for responding to climate change, natural disaster prevention, search and rescue, and civil defense under the Ministry of Public Security has the responsibility to advise the leadership of the Ministry of Public Security to direct local public security agencies to implement emergency response tasks according to the principle of "four-on-the-spot."

b) The Command for responding to climate change, natural disaster prevention, search and rescue, and civil defense under provincial and centrally-administered city public security agencies have the responsibility to execute orders from the Ministry of Public Security's leadership and implement tasks within their jurisdiction.

3. Dissemination and transmission of information

a) The mass media organs of the People's Public Security have the responsibility to coordinate in disseminating and transmitting directives for responding to accidents and natural disasters issued by the Prime Minister, the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control, the National Steering Committee for Responding to Emergencies, natural disaster prevention, and search and rescue, and the Steering Committee for responding to climate change, natural disaster prevention, search and rescue, and civil defense under the Ministry of Public Security;

Information dissemination shall be carried out immediately upon receipt of information on accidents, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations with a minimum frequency of every three hours for natural disaster risks up to level 3, and every hour for risks above level 3 until new directives are issued or emergency response activities have been completed or the natural disaster has ended.

b) The duration of directive dissemination and command for emergency response includes the time taken to fully transmit the content of the directive for natural disaster emergency response from competent authorities, weather forecast and warning bulletins, clearly stating changes in the directive content, updating the situation of natural disaster development, and emergency response activities.

4. Providing information on accidents, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations

Specialized units responsible for receiving information on fire prevention, firefighting, rescue, and relief operations, when there is information related to rescue and relief operations caused by accidents and natural disasters, shall promptly provide information to the standing forces for accident response, natural disaster prevention, and search and rescue operations, specifically:

a) At the central level, provide information to: The Steering Committee for responding to climate change, natural disaster prevention, search and rescue, and civil defense under the Ministry of Public Security;

b) At the local level, provide information to: The Command for responding to climate change, natural disaster prevention, search and rescue, and civil defense under provincial and centrally-administered city public security agencies;

c) The provision and reception of information shall be conducted through telephone, internet-connected computers, email, fax, and other suitable methods; central units shall assign duty officers to handle information.

Article 6. Mobilization to Respond to Natural Disaster Risks

1. The level of natural disaster risk shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of Article 6 of Decree No. 160/2018/NĐ-CP dated November 29, 2018 detailing certain articles of the Law on Prevention and Control of Natural Disasters.

2. Mobilization to Respond to Natural Disaster Risks

Based on receiving information from the Steering Committee for Response to Climate Change, Flood and Storm Control, Search and Rescue, and Civil Defense of the Ministry of Public Security, the Steering Committee for Response to Climate Change, Flood and Storm Control, Search and Rescue, and Civil Defense of the provincial public security organs, local public security organs shall implement mobilization to respond to natural disaster risks as follows:

a) Response to Level 1 Natural Disaster Risk

Police stations at commune, ward, and town levels shall be subject to mobilization by police departments at district, city district, and provincial city levels (hereinafter referred to as district-level police departments) and People's Committees at commune, ward, and town levels.

District-level police departments shall be subject to mobilization by provincial-level police departments (hereinafter referred to as provincial-level police departments) and People's Committees at district, city district, and provincial city levels (hereinafter referred to as district-level People's Committees).

b) Response to Level 2 Natural Disaster Risk

Provincial-level police departments shall be subject to mobilization by leaders of the Ministry of Public Security and People's Committees at provincial and centrally-administered municipal levels (hereinafter referred to as provincial-level People's Committees).

District-level police departments shall be subject to mobilization by provincial-level police departments and district-level People's Committees.

c) Response to Level 3 Natural Disaster Risk

The Ministry of Public Security shall implement measures to respond to natural disasters within its management scope and participate in responding to natural disasters according to directives and mobilizations by the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control and the National Steering Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue.

Provincial-level police departments shall be subject to mobilization by leaders of the Ministry of Public Security and provincial-level People's Committees.

District-level police departments shall be subject to mobilization by provincial-level police departments and district-level People's Committees.

d) Response to Level 4 Natural Disaster Risk

The Ministry of Public Security shall implement measures to respond to natural disasters within its management scope; participate in responding to natural disasters according to directives and mobilizations by the Prime Minister, the Central Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control, and the National Steering Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue.

Provincial-level police departments shall be subject to mobilization by the Ministry of Public Security and provincial-level People's Committees.

District-level police departments shall be subject to mobilization by provincial-level police departments and district-level People's Committees.

đ) In cases of Level 5 natural disasters and when competent authorities declare a state of emergency due to natural disasters, the People's Public Security forces shall act in accordance with the law on states of emergency.

Article 7. Implementation of Response to Emergencies, Natural Disasters, and Search and Rescue Operations

1. When there are forecasts, warnings, notifications of risks, or occurrences of emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations, the permanent offices of the Steering Committee for Response to Climate Change, Flood and Storm Control, Search and Rescue, and Civil Defense of the Ministry of Public Security, and the Steering Committee for Response to Climate Change, Flood and Storm Control, Search and Rescue, and Civil Defense of the provincial public security organs shall organize duty shifts to receive and process information about emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations.

2. Local public security units where emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations occur, and functional units assigned tasks to respond to emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations shall have the responsibility to:

a) Implement emergency plans and measures to protect the lives, health, and property of agencies, organizations, and individuals; inspect facilities, equipment, and forces that can be mobilized to participate in response efforts if necessary;

b) Direct and command forces, equipment, specialized devices, and materials to respond to emergencies, natural disasters, search and rescue operations, and mitigate consequences;

c) Report the results of handling emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations in accordance with reporting regulations.

Article 8. Coordination in disaster response, natural disaster prevention, and search and rescue operations

1. Coordination during typhoons and tropical depressions

a) The Steering Committee for Climate Change Response, Natural Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue, and Civil Defense of the Ministry of Public Security shall coordinate with the Provincial Steering Committees for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue, and other relevant agencies under the direction of the Prime Minister, the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention, and the leadership of the Ministry of Public Security to develop general measures for the public security forces to respond to typhoons and tropical depressions. In cases where typhoons may cause significant or widespread impacts, a meeting of the Steering Committee shall be organized to direct the response.

b) Public security forces at local levels shall perform the following tasks:

Directing firefighting and rescue police, traffic police, public order police, and other public security forces to cooperate with military forces and health units in the area to organize assistance for evacuation, securing houses, arranging mooring positions for ships, ensuring security and order, participating in rescue and salvage operations, and protecting flood and storm prevention facilities according to the division of labor by the local Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue.

Directing local traffic police to deploy forces to ensure road, waterway, and railway traffic safety. Organizing control at submerged, flooded, and landslide-prone areas causing traffic congestion, directing traffic flow to ensure safety for people and vehicles.

2. Coordination during major floods, flash floods, and landslides

a) The Steering Committee for Climate Change Response, Natural Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue, and Civil Defense of the Ministry of Public Security shall coordinate with the Provincial Steering Committees for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue, and other relevant agencies under the direction of the Prime Minister, the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention, and the leadership of the Ministry of Public Security to develop general measures for the public security forces to respond to major floods, flash floods, and landslides. Organizing working groups to visit severely affected areas to advise on response and recovery efforts.

b) Public security forces at local levels shall perform the following tasks:

Directing traffic police to implement measures to guide and regulate traffic activities to ensure safety; deploying some standing forces at river passenger terminals and critical areas.

Increasing personnel and equipment to cooperate with functional forces and local authorities to implement response work for flash floods and landslides; ensuring rescue equipment, communication devices, materials, and essential supplies are ready in critical areas and high-risk regions prone to isolation.

Organizing safe evacuation of people and property: Cooperating with other functional forces to evacuate people and property from flood-prone, flash flood, and landslide areas to ensure the safety of lives and property.

Promptly providing first aid to injured persons and quickly transferring them to the nearest medical facility for treatment; coordinating with functional forces and local authorities to urgently locate missing persons.

3. Coordination upon tsunami and earthquake warnings

Upon receiving tsunami and earthquake warnings, the Steering Committee for Climate Change Response, Natural Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue, and Civil Defense of the Ministry of Public Security and the Provincial Steering Committees for Climate Change Response, Natural Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue, and Civil Defense shall implement information dissemination, response organization, and population evacuation according to the Regulation on Earthquake and Tsunami Prevention issued together with Decision No. 78/2007/QĐ-TTg dated May 29, 2007 of the Prime Minister.

4. Coordination in dike and flood prevention facility rescue operations

Public security units and localities shall stand ready to provide personnel and equipment to participate in dike and flood prevention facility rescue operations within their jurisdiction when requested by local People's Committees; reporting to the Ministry of Public Security for support, reinforcement, and assistance if the mission exceeds their capacity.

5. Coordination in marine search and rescue operations

Marine search and rescue coordination shall be carried out according to the Regulation on Marine Search and Rescue Cooperation and Port Water Area Search and Rescue issued together with Decision No. 06/2014/QĐ-TTg dated January 20, 2014 of the Prime Minister.

6. Coordination in land-based search and rescue operations

Public security units and localities shall prepare personnel and equipment according to the directives of the local Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue to proactively carry out search and rescue operations.

7. Coordination during forest fire incidents

Public security units and localities shall prepare personnel and equipment according to the directives of the local Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue to proactively carry out forest fire suppression, fire spread prevention, and evacuation of residents from dangerous areas.

8. Public security units and localities shall prepare personnel and equipment according to the directives of the National Traffic Safety Committee, the local Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue to proactively carry out rescue and salvage operations in case of severe accidents, natural disasters, or serious traffic accidents on roads, waterways, and railways; regulating traffic and maintaining security and order in the affected areas.

Article 9. Training, instruction, and drills for responding to emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations

Clause 1. Training, instruction, and drills for responding to emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations for specialized and兼任力量每年进行。

Clause 2. The Office of the Ministry of Public Security shall cooperate with relevant units to develop plans and organize training sessions, instructions, and drills for emergency response, disaster prevention, and search and rescue operations within the People's Public Security Forces.

Clause 3. The Steering Committee for Climate Change Response, Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue, and Civil Defense at the provincial public security organs under the central city shall proactively coordinate with related units to determine the content, methods, and organize training and instruction for responding to emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations for their own units; report to the Steering Committee for Climate Change Response, Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue, and Civil Defense of the Ministry of Public Security (through the Office of the Ministry of Public Security) for review and approval before implementation.

Clause 4. Drills for responding to emergencies, natural disasters, and search and rescue operations within the People's Public Security Forces shall be decided by the Minister of Public Security, and the Head of the Steering Committee for Climate Change Response, Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue, and Civil Defense of the Ministry of Public Security shall be responsible for organizing and implementing them.

Chapter III

IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

Article 10. Effective Date

This Circular takes effect from March 6, 2021.

Article 11. Implementation Organization

Clause 1. The Office of the Ministry of Public Security shall be responsible for monitoring, inspecting, and urging the implementation of this Circular.

Clause 2. Heads of subordinate units under the Ministry of Public Security, Directors of provincial public security organs under the central city, and related organizations and individuals shall be responsible for enforcing this Circular.

During the implementation process, if there are difficulties or obstacles, public security units and localities shall report to the Ministry of Public Security (through the Office of the Ministry of Public Security) for timely guidance./.