RESPONSE behind the scenes: Real training for real situations
One of the major challenges in the cross-border region between Bulgaria and Serbia is the response to disasters – situations that pose risks to people, cause significant damage, and require fast and well-coordinated action.
When a disaster occurs, response time is measured in seconds, and preparation does not begin at the moment of crisis. It starts much earlier – with training, coordination, and work in the field.
This is the direction of the strategic project “RESPONSE”, funded with over 7.2 million euros under the Interreg VI-A IPA Bulgaria–Serbia Programme 2021–2027 – to build real preparedness for response in the cross-border region through joint actions and practical training. Project partners include the General Directorate “Fire Safety and Civil Protection” of the Ministry of Interior of Bulgaria, the Sector for Emergency Management of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia, the Academy of the Ministry of Interior, and the National Association of Volunteers in the Republic of Bulgaria.
One of the first steps in this direction has already been taken.
In March 2026, a joint training of firefighters from Bulgaria and Serbia was held in Montana, aimed at improving preparedness for response to emergencies in the cross-border region.
Over the course of five days, from 9 to 13 March, 12 firefighters from both sides of the border took part in an intensive “train-the-trainers” programme. This training model creates a sustainable effect – those trained today will train others tomorrow. In this way, knowledge does not remain within a single group but reaches dozens of additional teams, creating a network of prepared professionals that will continue to expand beyond the end of the training activities.
But what does this preparation look like in practice?
Not as classroom-based learning, but as fieldwork where skills for rapid decision-making under pressure are developed. The training combines theory and practice and is aimed at preparing teams for the most challenging situations – from fighting wildfires using drones, through responding to accidents involving electric vehicles, to complex rescue operations in collapsed structures and fast-moving waters.
The practical exercises are conducted in conditions as close as possible to real-life situations. This means working in complex environments, under time constraints, and requiring fast and well-coordinated responses – skills that are critical in emergencies. On-site, participants practised various rescue actions, working in teams, using specialised equipment, and applying specific response techniques.
The joint work of Bulgarian and Serbian teams has another important dimension – it creates synchronisation in actions across borders. It ensures that when a critical moment occurs, actions will be coordinated and decisions taken on time. When intervention is needed, trust and familiarity with each other’s approaches allow for faster and more effective response.
The training in Montana is only part of a broader process in which disaster preparedness and adaptation to climate change are seen as a shared responsibility.
By the end of May 2026, a total of six trainings are planned to take place: 24–27 March, 31 March–3 April, 6–9 April, 20–23 April, 11–14 May, and 18–21 May.
A total of 120 professionals will be trained through these sessions, enhancing their preparedness for various types of disasters – from wildfires to earthquakes and other emergencies. In parallel, training for volunteers is also planned, as they increasingly play a key role in supporting professional teams in field operations.
The most intensive phase of the training programme will take place in April and May 2026, when a total of nine training events will be organised in parallel in Bulgaria and Serbia. These include specialised trainings for firefighters in Montana and Vranje, joint sessions for instructors and training staff in Sofia, as well as two joint trainings involving both professionals and volunteers engaged in emergency management.
In this way, the programme covers both professional teams and volunteers, who are increasingly among the first to respond in emergencies.
Work is being carried out in several key directions – strengthening expert capacity, improving coordination between institutions, and building real preparedness for response in different situations.
Such joint training is of essential importance, as they not only enhance the skills of the teams but also creates a foundation for better coordination and more effective actions in emergencies.
In the next publications of the series “RESPONSE behind the scenes”, we will present more of this preparation – from specialised rescue operations in mountainous environments to volunteer trainings and concrete prevention measures in people’s homes.
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