Amid heightened geopolitical tensions, particularly following the conflict in the Middle East, several European nations, including Bulgaria, have been reviewing their civil defense infrastructure. The University Rescue Squad (URS), affiliated with the Bulgarian Youth Red Cross, recently released a map detailing the location of civil defense and fallout shelters across the country to boost public awareness. According to fire service data, Bulgaria possesses 247 designated civil defense and fallout shelters.
However, the readiness status varies, with only 18 facilities currently operational for their intended purpose. The remaining shelters, the data indicates, can be made functional within one week. Each facility is assigned an official custodian responsible for maintenance, and the fire service conducts mandatory bi-annual inspections, supported by a formal record kept at each site.
In Sofia, City Hall reports that ten of the 92 shelters have undergone overhauls in the last two years, with six more slated for renovation and the remainder scheduled for repair within the next four years. Many of these shelters are integrated into existing structures like schools and kindergartens. URS volunteer Radinel Pargov noted that some publicly known shelters are not included on the official list because they are privately owned and not managed by the fire service.
He pointed out that while some areas lack dedicated fallout shelters, the underground railway system, the Metro, represents a significant capacity, capable of sheltering over 900,000 people. Additionally, the National Palace of Culture and underground tunnels can serve similar protective functions against a potential bomb threat.
Topics: #bomb #shelters #bulgaria
