Bulgaria National Platform

History

2001- the former Civil Protection Service under the Ministry of Defense was transformed into the State Agency for Civil Protection under the Council of Ministers.

2006. – Ministry of State Policy for Disasters and Accidents including National Civil Protection Service Directorate General with territorial units in every region of Bulgaria;

2008 - The Ministry of State Policy for Disasters and Accidents was renamed to Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES).

December 2009 - the structure became a Civil Protection Directorate-General under the Ministry of Interior.

Structure

Aims

The general aim of the Chief Directorate Fire Safety and Civil Protection is to create an effective, efficient, technically adequate and materially integrated system for prevention, preparation, facing, management and recovery in case of disasters.

Legal regulations

The main laws governing protection of the population in Bulgaria in case of natural or man-made disasters are the Disaster Protection Law and the Law on Ministry of Interior. The purpose of the Disaster Protection Law is to ensure protection of life and health, environment and property in case of disasters. Based on DPL are developed and directed a number of practical documents such as - National Programme for Disaster Protection; annual plans for implementing the National program, National Plan for Disaster Protection, National Plan for conducting rescue and emergency recovery activities.

Along with those basic laws, there are a number of other special laws and regulations with which the relevant authorities are assigned functions in the provision of health and living conditions in the country, and functions in response to need. Such laws and regulations like - Law on National Emergency Call System with a single European number 112, Water Law, Environmental Law, Law on the safe use of nuclear energy, Act on the Bulgarian Red Cross, Health Law and others.

Integrated Rescue System

The units and services in charge of protection in case of disasters are components of an “Integrated rescue system”, preserving at the same time their institutional belonging and their set functions and subject of activity. The Integrated rescue system is the organization, coordination and the management of the activities of those units, services and structures responsible for reaction in the event of disasters and, when necessary - in simultaneous carrying out rescue as well as emergency recovery activities by two or more of its parts or units. Main components of the Integrated rescue system are the Chief Directorate Fire Safety and Civil protection, Ministry of Interior, 112 National System and the Emergency Medical Aid Centers. The main components of the Integrated rescue system ensure the constant readiness to receive messages on occurring disasters, their evaluation and immediate actions

Space Monitoring Center

The Space Monitoring Center is intended to assist in the control over natural disasters and accidents on a national scale. The Center will assist in the processes of monitoring, evaluation and managing the risk of natural and man-made disasters and extraordinary situations. All received and processed data will enable the analysis and proper management decisions in the event of crisis, natural disasters, fires, landslides, floods, etc. The Space Monitoring Center will contribute to the successful integration of Bulgaria into the European information system.

Activities

According to the Act for Amendments and Supplements to the Law on the Ministry of Interior, Chief Directorate Fire Safety and Civil Protection is responsible for the organization and implementation of the following activities:

1. Prevention and control;
2. Emergency rescue and recovery activities, operational protection in case of floods and search and rescue operations;
3. CBRN protection in case of incidents and accidents with dangerous substances and materials and mitigation of ecological incidents
4. Participation in international projects and expert councils targeted at providing assistance to prevention and preparedness activities in case of disasters.
5. Performing disasters monitoring, warning and alert through the National Operational Communication and Information Center.
6. Protection of the population in case of “wartime” or “emergency situation” in compliance with the Geneva Conventions;
7. Assistance in the activities of the Interagency Commission for recovery and relief to the Council of Ministers;
8. Methodical and expert support for disaster protection to the territorial executive authorities;
9. Operational cooperation with the EU and NATO structures and other international organizations in the field of fire safety and protection of the population, humanitarian aid and civil-military emergency planning.

Prevention:

Main part of the prevention process is devoted to adequate emergency planning.

Chief Directorate Fire Safety and Civil Protection develops the National disaster protection plan, which includes plans such as:

• Floods;
• Earthquakes;
• Snow storm
• Petrol products spills;
• Fires;
• Industrial accidents;
• Nuclear accidents;
• Biological contamination;
• Terrorist acts.

Training:

Fire Safety and Civil Protection Training Center in Montana
Upgraded by international projects; Training center for CBRN protection to the NATO Education and Training Network.
Main activities:    

• Training of rescuers and experts from the structures of MoI;
• Special training on radiological protection;
• Training on external programs (volunteers, units of the Integrated Rescue System, experts from Headquarters for coordination in case of disasters);
• Organizing and conducting of national and international exercises
• Conducting scientific and methodological activities.

International Activities:

Chief Directorate Fire Safety and Civil Protection has active cooperation with international organizations, regional and bilateral co-operation.
Chief Directorate Fire Safety and Civil Protection works closely with:

• European Union – PROCIV Working party at the Council of EU, Monitoring and Information Centre (MIC) of DG ENV, DG ECHO, DG JLS
• NATO – Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC)
• United Nations – DP, OCHA, ISDR and other
• Council of Europe – European and Mediterranean (EUR-OPA) Major Hazards Agreement
• Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
• U.S. Peace Corps
• CTIF

 Regional Cooperation:

• Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Initiative (DPPI) for South-Eastern Europe
• Civil-Military Emergency Planning Council for South-Eastern Europe (SEE CMEP Council)
• Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Bilateral Cooperation:
• Bilateral Agreements for cooperation with Romania,Russia, Italy.
• EU Exercise “Terrorist Act Consequences Management Training in South-Eastern Europe EU TACOM- SEE 2006”, conducted in Bulgaria in July 2006.
• Strengthening of the contacts with countries from South-Eastern Europe and the Black-sea region

Bilateral Cooperation:

•  Bilateral Agreements for cooperation with Romania and Russia
• EU Exercise "Terrorist Act Consequences Management Training in South-Eastern Europe EU TACOM- SEE 2006", conducted in Bulgaria in July 2006.
• Strengthening of the contacts with countries from South-Eastern Europe and the Black-sea region

International exercices:

Exercises SEESIM – 2002; 2004 2006; 2008;

Exercises organized by EU:

• EUDREX 2004 – Participation with a team of 15 rescuers and tree cars that performed tasks of detection, search and rescue in the CBRN environment and two experts in the team for monitoring and assessment.
• EUTACOM 2006 – As host country. The Exercise was attended by 200 rescuers, over 40 specialized trucks and other equipment, teams with search dogs, medical teams, water rescue teams and diving teams; participated in teaching the national headquarters and three regional headquarters for action emergency. Participation of teams from Romania, Hungary, Greece, Slovakia and Slovenia.
• EU HUROMEX – 2008 – participation with 24 rescuers with two dogs to trace victims and seven rescue vehicles performing the tasks of search and rescue, flood protection, water rescue and diving operations, evacuation, rescue operations in the CBRN environment, height rescue doctrine in regard to participation and four experts in the coordination and evaluation team (OSOCC)
• EU DANUBIUS – 2009 – participation with 20 rescuers and six rescue vehicles, mainly performed search and rescue tasks in the CBRN environment and 2 experts in the assessment team.

• EU EVROS – 2010 – participation with 20 rescuers with 4 vehicles performing the tasks of rescue and water rescue in road accidents in the CBRN environment; 5 experts participated as co-organizers

Exercises organized by NATO EARDCC:

• Taming the Dragon 2002 - 20 rescuers performing the tasks of search and rescue in the wooded, mountainous locality and caves, and water rescue; 5 experts also participated in the assessment and coordination group.
• CMEPEX 2004 - as a exercise’s host country Bulgaria participated with about 120 rescuers with over 30 specialized vehicles and other equipment, medical teams, water rescue teams and diving teams; the Regional Headquarters for emergency operations was involved too.
• Participants in the exercise were also teams from Turkey, Macedonia, Romania, Italy and Croatia.
• IDASSA – 2007 – 22 rescuers and a rescuer dog, equipped with seven vehicles were performing the tasks of urban search and rescue after an earthquake. In the exercise 5 experts took part as members of groups for management, assessment and coordination (OSOCC).
• CODRII 2011