GENERAL DIRECTORATE FIRE SAFETY AND CIVIL PROTECTION Ministry of Interior - Bulgaria GENERAL DIRECTORATE FIRE SAFETY AND CIVIL PROTECTION

INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR “FIRE PREVENTION” (Bled, Slovenia, 19.05. – 20.05.2011) ONE YEAR OF ENFORCEMENT OF MODERN NORMATIVE AND TECHNICAL REGULATIONS IN THE FIELD OF FIRE SAFETY R. V. Bogoev. Directorate General “Fire safety and civil protection”, Ministry of Interior of Bulgaria, Sofia

With the report revealed from me in Leipzig last year you became acquainted with technical regulations to ensure fire safety, and regulations governing the activities of monitoring of compliance with fire safety requirements in design, construction and operation of buildings, facilities and installations in the Republic of Bulgaria, and in particular with, the Ordinance Iz-1971 on the constructional and technical rules and standards to ensure fire safety (operated since 05.06.2010). I made a report to the new aspects of the ordinance, the law of the European Union and European specifications in the field of fire safety, and especially I introduced the new of the investment project "Fire Safety". Major changes in the concept of fire safety of buildings, which occurred with the enactment of the ordinance, necessitated conducting training seminars and courses for all participants in the investment and construction process - architects, designers, supervisory authorities.

The first training course was organized at the Academy of Ministery of interirior - the Faculty “Fire Safety and Protection of Population”. It was for the heads of regional directorates „Fire Safety and Protection of Population” in the country and heads of sectors and groups in sectional offices “Safety and Protection of Population”. Instructors of the classes were professors from the Faculty “Fire Safety and Protection of Population”, some of which have participated in the committee for the development of the ordinance. Specialists of Directorate General „Fire Safety and Protection of Population” were invited and took part as lecturers in the course. The aim of the course was to clarify the basic points in regulations and the aspects of ordinance’s application. Meanwhile, the efficient management of the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria and the Chamber of Engineers in Investment Design organized their own training sessions on the Ordinance in 4 districts in the country - in Blagoevgrad, Rousse, Sofia and Varna. Specialists of Directorate General „Fire Safety and Protection of Population” participated as lecturers in seminars.

In September last year, Directorate General „Fire Safety and Protection of Population” required information from regional directorates „Fire Safety and Protection of Population” regarding articles in the ordinance, which creates problems during implementation and which are vague or non-applicable. The information was summarized and analyzed and it was decided to be issued formal guidance on the implementation of the Ordinance. For this purpose, committee was set up. The committee consisted of specialists from Directorate General „Fire Safety and Protection of Population”, professors from the Faculty „Fire Safety and Protection of Population” and experts from the Ministry of Regional Development. The guidelines for implementation of the ordinance have been officially issued at the end of November last year. For the purpose of clarification of the Ordinance and to provide methodological support for effective state fire prevention in the design and construction, the efficient management of Directorate General „Fire Safety and Protection of Population” decided to organize new seminars in the country. They were held in December in 7 districts of the country. Specialists of Directorate General „Fire Safety and Protection of Population” participated as lecturers in seminars.

Since the entry into force of the ordinance in June last year we received numerous complaints from the Chamber of Engineers in Investment Design. They consisted allegations that the requirements of the ordinance are too restrictive and they lock investment process in the country. This is so because the ordinance regulates completely new standards and technical solutions to ensure fire safety, which are vague and incomprehensible to most designers and they require major expenses of implementation and maintenance. For example such systems are systems for smoke and heat control, the technical installations in buildings with a height over 28 m and in buildings with atrias, car ramps in garages etc. Because of this the ordinance regulates the new part of investment project “Fire Safety” to be developed by skilled engineers in field of fire and emergency safety. Directorate General „Fire Safety and Protection of Population” decided to amend the ordinance. Directorate General „Fire Safety and Protection of Population” required information from regional directorates „Fire Safety and Protection of Population” and external organizations (associations of firefighters, Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria and the Chamber of Engineers in Investment Design) regarding articles in the ordinance, which creates problems during implementation and which are vague or non-applicable.

The information was summarized and analyzed by experts from Directorate General „Fire Safety and Protection of Population”. Now we are faced with establishment of committee consisting of specialists from Directorate General „Fire Safety and Protection of Population”, professors from the Faculty „Fire Safety and Protection of Population” and experts from the Ministry of Regional Development. To maximize the effectiveness of committee’s work, it is possible to include representatives from some external organizations - such as designers of the new part of investment project “Fire Safety”. For complete synchronization of the Bulgarian legislation on fire safety to that of the European Union were developed other ordinance too. The most important of these is the Ordinance on the rules and requirements for fire safety in the peoces of opretion of buildings. It regulates the requirements and implementation of measures to ensure fire safety during the operation of buildings and facilities. Owners and managers of buildings and facilities are required to follow its requirements . At the moment the ordinance is posted on the official website of the European Commission for an opinion of the countries - members of the European Union. After this procedure, the ordinance will be subject to agreement by other interested institutions in Bulgaria.

In respect with the fusion the Directorate General “Fire safety and Rescue” and General Directorate “Civil Protection” (on 01.01.2011), are gradually updating and developing legislation. In these cases we will rely on the professionals involved in developing the regulations for the prevention of fires.

THANK YOU!