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Bulgaria proposes equipping police vehicles with defibrillators
The Progressive Bulgaria political group has proposed amendments to the Health Act that would allow police and emergency responders to administer first aid using automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Georgi Iliev, Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Healthcare Committee, stated that the initiative aims to equip approximately 2,300 Ministry of Interior vehicles—including road police, security police, and fire safety units—with these devices.
The proposal is driven by the fact that Ministry of Interior personnel often arrive at incident scenes before emergency medical services, which typically take between 8 and 12 minutes to respond. Given that sudden cardiac arrest causes approximately 10,000 deaths annually in the country, proponents argue that providing defibrillation within the first five minutes could improve survival rates for 60-80% of cases.
Funding for the equipment is expected to be sourced from the state budget and the Road Safety Fund. Additionally, the Bulgarian Red Cross has expressed readiness to begin phased training for Ministry of Interior staff to ensure the devices are used effectively.
Entities
Bulgaria · Bulgarian Red Cross · Georgi Iliev · Ministry of Interior · Progressive Bulgaria
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Approximately 2,300 Ministry of Interior vehicles, including road police, security police, and fire safety units, would be equipped with defibrillators. www.a-specto.bg · ruse.news · podtepeto.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Emergency medical services take between 8 and 12 minutes to reach incident sites, whereas Ministry of Interior personnel often arrive first. www.a-specto.bg · ruse.news · podtepeto.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Defibrillation within the first five minutes can result in a positive outcome for 60-80% of sudden cardiac arrest cases. www.a-specto.bg · ruse.news · podtepeto.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Funding for the equipment will be sought through the state budget and the Road Safety Fund. www.a-specto.bg · ruse.news · podtepeto.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Progressive Bulgaria party has proposed amendments to the Health Act to allow police officers to provide first aid using automated external defibrillators (AEDs). www.a-specto.bg · ruse.news · podtepeto.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Bulgarian Red Cross is prepared to provide phased training for Ministry of Interior personnel. www.a-specto.bg · ruse.news · podtepeto.com