On March 21, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the candidacy of Mārtiņš Baltmanis for the appointment to the position of Head of the State Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) in order to ensure the proper, effective and continuous performance of the tasks of the SFRS following the dismissal of SFRS Chief Oskars Āboliņš from service on March 31 of this year.
Addressing the participants of the Cabinet of Ministers meeting, M. Baltmanis emphasized: “The position of the Head of the SFRS is a great responsibility not only to the employees of the SFRS, but also to the entire Latvian society. Taking into account the high trust of the society in our service, I am ready to take on this responsibility. At the same time, I know that the service has fantastic and knowledgeable employees so that we can fulfill the tasks assigned to the service in all four areas of our activity, implementing our mission - to work for society, preventing accidents and saving lives, property and the environment."
Based on the Law on the Service of Officials of the Institutions of the Ministry of the Interior System and the Prison Administration with Special Service Ranks, the head of SFRS is appointed to this position for a period of five years by the Minister of the Interior after the relevant candidacy has been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
Also, according to the aforementioned law, only an official from among the senior or highest officers who has an academic or second-level professional higher education and whose service time in the system of the Ministry of the Interior is not shorter than 10 years may be appointed to the position of the head of the SFRS. A candidate for the position of the head of the SFRS also needs appropriate education in the field of fire safety.
M.Baltmanis was appointed to the position of Deputy Chief of the SFRS on October 1, 2018, but the special service rank of colonel was granted to M.Baltmanis on November 18, 2020.
In 2006, M. Baltmanis obtained a first-level higher education in the profession of a fire safety and civil protection technician at the Fire and Civil Protection College, in 2008 he obtained a qualification as a fire safety and civil protection engineer at the Riga Technical University, and in 2016 he obtained a professional master's degree in occupational safety at the University of Latvia.
M. Baltmanis has over 19 years of service in various positions in the SFRS.
Therefore, M. Baltmanis's qualifications, previous work experience in SFRS positions, including the position of Deputy Chief of SFRS, leading and organizing the execution of tasks in the areas of civil protection, fire safety supervision, crisis management, prevention and public information, as well as the level of development of management competencies, indicate Mārtiņš Baltmanis' ability to fulfill the duties of the Head of SFRS.
M. Baltmanis has also regularly supplemented his knowledge in various courses, seminars and conferences.
On October 30, 2020, for his special services to the Latvian state, highly professional, especially selfless and courageous performance of his duties, as well as for his prompt and effective decision-making in an unprecedentedly complex epidemiological and public health threat situation related to the spread of Covid-19 infection, M. Baltmanis was awarded the Cross of Commendation and appointed a Major of the Cross of Commendation. On November 17, 2017, for his exemplary service, merits in maintaining and strengthening the internal security of Latvia, as well as his contribution to the development and popularization of the SFRS, M. Baltmanis was awarded the Order of Viesturas, Class IV, and appointed an Officer of the Order of Viesturas.
M. Baltmans' suitability for the position of Head of the SFRS was also assessed at the meeting of the Evaluation Commission of the Ministry of the Interior on March 2, 2023.
Photo: Valsts kanceleja