site.bta39 Municipalities Receive Swiss Donation in Support of Voluntary Firefighting Formations

Sofia, February 20 (BTA) - Thirty-nine Bulgarian municipalities have received a donation from Switzerland in support of voluntary firefighting formations, the Interior Ministry reported Tuesday.

In the last years, Bulgaria and Switzerland have been cooperating exceptionally actively in the sphere of fire safety and civil protection, Chief Commissioner Nikolay Nikolov, head of the Interior Ministry's Fire Safety and Civil Protection Chief Directorate, said at Tuesday's donation ceremony. He gave as an example the long-term partnership between the municipalities of Lovech and Bazel Land and the corresponding fire services.

The donation is in the form of various equipment, materials, instruments and protective clothing. The Bulgarian municipalities have also received 70 fire engines and another 33 vehicles, Nikolov said.

In his words, voluntary firefighting is becoming more popular with each passing year: there already are 2,948 trained men and women ready to assist the Fire Safety and Civil Protection Chief Directorate.