Amid heightened global tensions, particularly following the conflict in the Middle East, several European nations, including Bulgaria, have begun reassessing the readiness of their civil defense infrastructure. Last week, the University Rescue Squad (URS), a component of the Bulgarian Youth Red Cross, published a map detailing the locations of civil defense and fallout shelters across Bulgaria, aiming to boost public awareness regarding these facilities. Official data indicates that Bulgaria possesses 247 such shelters.
However, the current operational readiness is limited, with only 18 shelters reported as immediately usable for their intended purpose. Authorities note that the remaining facilities can potentially be made functional within one week. Each shelter is assigned an official custodian responsible for its upkeep, and the fire service is tasked with conducting bi-annual inspections.
In the capital, Sofia, City Hall reports that ten of the city’s 92 shelters have undergone overhauls in the past two years, with six more renovations underway. The remaining shelters are scheduled for repairs within the next four years. Many of these facilities are situated within schools and kindergartens.
URS volunteer Radinel Pargov noted that while some private, privately owned shelters exist and are known to the public, they are not included in the official registry as they fall outside the fire service’s direct purview. Pargov added that the underground Metro system represents the largest potential shelter in the capital, capable of accommodating over 900,000 people. Additionally, the National Palace of Culture, underground garages, and tunnels can serve similar protective roles against a potential bomb threat.
Topics: #bomb #shelters #bulgaria
It’s concerning that so many shelters reported are not actually functional when global tensions are high.