site.btaVolunteer Zhaneta Valcheva Calls for State Backing of Emergency Response Teams

The State urgently needs to invest in equipment and maintenance for volunteer units, Zhaneta Valcheva from Haskovo's Spasitelen Klub za Badeshte told BTA's Krasimira Slavova on Saturday.

Valcheva, who has been part of the local organization since its foundation, said volunteers continue to contribute their time and commitment without State support.

Valcheva and her fellow volunteers assisted fire services during a recent blaze that raged for four days in the Sakar Mountain region, between Lesovo and the villages of Radovets, Srem and Ustrem. As a mathematics teacher, she joined the volunteer club deliberately, inspired by her previous charity experience in the United Kingdom, where she worked with children with special needs and helped run a soup kitchen during the COVID pandemic.

After returning home, Valcheva found further volunteering opportunities through the Gorata.bg group and became involved in community tree planting initiatives in Haskovo. Together with her club, she has completed multiple disaster-response training programmes, including courses at the Regional Directorate Fire Safety and Civil Protection. Each mission, she said, deepens the group's bond and strengthens their resolve to help those in need.

She stressed that risk is constant during field operations and that fear can be an important safeguard. "When you hear the roar of the flames, you must stay focused and act with precision, any distraction could cost a life," Valcheva said. She advised that would-be volunteers seek appropriate training and join registered groups, warning against unprepared participation in hazardous scenarios.

Valcheva noted that the personal cost of volunteering is high, as most travel and supply expenses are covered by the members themselves, with only occasional donations. During the first day tackling the Sakar fire, for example, her team covered 300 km, quickly exhausting donated fuel. Reflecting on her time in the United Kingdom, she argued that Bulgaria could adopt similar models, where volunteer fire brigades receive sustained State support for operational needs.

She proposed the State allocate budget funds to reimburse volunteers for vehicle and fuel expenses, suggesting an expense-tracking system linked to the national register of volunteer units. In emergencies, registered teams should also be allowed to use their vehicles with special lights to speed up their response, Valcheva added.