The National Association of Volunteers in the Republic of Bulgaria (NAVRB) is establishing fire response depots, providing equipment and training local communities with the support of The Coca-Cola HBC Foundation
At the peak of summer and during the peak fire-risk season, the National Association of Volunteers in the Republic of Bulgaria (NAVRB) is implementing a large-scale initiative to strengthen fire response preparedness in more than 100 smaller communities across the country. The project covers towns and villages in the regions of Blagoevgrad, Sofia City and Sofia Province, Haskovo, Lovech and Pazardzhik, with a focus on prevention, preparedness and the ability of local communities to take appropriate initial action in the event of a fire. The initiative is supported by The Coca-Cola HBC Foundation and forms part of the partnership between the Foundation and NAVRB to strengthen the resilience and disaster preparedness of local communities.
As part of the project, fire response depots are being established in smaller communities and equipped with the essential resources needed by local firefighting teams. At the same time, informational materials are being distributed to local residents, providing practical guidance on fire risk prevention and on coordinating the actions of spontaneous volunteers when an emergency arises.
Particular emphasis is also being placed on training those who play a key role in the first minutes after a fire breaks out. NAVRB is providing training for local mayors and representatives of local administrations on initial response measures and coordination during wildfires.
“When a fire breaks out, volunteers are often among the first on the scene and play a vital role in protecting people, homes and nature. But our work does not begin and end with responding to the incident itself. Investing in prevention, preparedness and knowledge is the most effective way to protect people and communities. This is why it is particularly important for us to reach smaller towns and villages, where good organization and available equipment can be decisive in the first minutes of a fire,” said Dr. Yasen Tsvetkov, Head of the Management Board of the National Association of Volunteers in the Republic of Bulgaria.
The initiative is funded through a donation of more than 100,000 euros provided by The Coca-Cola HBC Foundation to NAVRB in 2025 to support the fight against wildfires in Bulgaria. The funding is being used to provide off-road firefighting vehicles, specialized equipment and tools for field operations, establish fire response depots, and carry out public awareness initiatives to improve disaster preparedness among local communities.
“For us, the true value of a partnership is measured by the long-term impact it has on communities. That is why, together with NAVRB, we are focusing our efforts not only on providing the necessary firefighting equipment, but also on prevention and community preparedness. We believe that when local communities have knowledge, organization and appropriate resources, they are much better prepared to respond during those critical first minutes. This is the sustainable impact we aim to achieve through our support,” said Lilia Velinova, Customer and Community Partnerships Manager at Coca-Cola HBC Bulgaria.
The partnership between NAVRB and Coca-Cola HBC also continues through initiatives designed to build practical emergency response skills. Earlier this year, NAVRB experts and rescue professionals conducted specialized training sessions for Coca-Cola HBC Bulgaria employees, covering disaster and emergency response, how to prepare an emergency evacuation backpack, and how to provide first aid.
About Coca-Cola HBC
Coca-Cola HBC is a growth-focused consumer packaged goods business and strategic bottling partner of The Coca-Cola Company. We open up moments that refresh us all by creating value for our stakeholders and supporting the socio-economic development of the communities in which we operate. With a vision to be the leading 24/7 beverage partner, we offer drinks for all occasions around the clock and work together with our customers to serve 760 million consumers across a broad geographic footprint of 29 countries.
Our portfolio is one of the strongest, broadest and most flexible in the beverage industry, with consumer-leading brands across the sparkling, adult sparkling, juice, water, sport, energy, ready-to-drink tea, coffee, and premium spirits categories, with snacks as an additional offering. Our products include Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Fanta, Sprite, Schweppes, Kinley, Costa Coffee, Caffè Vergnano, Valser, FuzeTea, Powerade, Cappy, Monster Energy, Finlandia Vodka, The Macallan, Jack Daniel’s and Plazma.
We foster an open and inclusive work environment for our more than 33,500 employees and believe that a positive environmental impact is integral to our future growth. We are among the leaders of the global beverage industry across major sustainability benchmarks, including the Dow Jones Best-in Class Indices, CDP, MSCI ESG, FTSE ESG and ISS ESG.
Coca-Cola HBC is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: CCH) and on Euronext Athens (Euronext Athens: EEE). For more information, please visit https://www.coca-colahellenic.com/.
About the National Association of Volunteers in the Republic of Bulgaria
The National Association of Volunteers in the Republic of Bulgaria (NAVRB) was established in 2014 as a national organisation that brings together, represents and supports volunteer formations and organisations from across the country. The Association works to advance disaster volunteerism, protect the interests of volunteers, and help build more resilient and better-prepared local communities.
NAVRB works in close partnership with the General Directorate for Fire Safety and Civil Protection, municipalities, professional emergency services, businesses and civil society organisations. The Association supports the training, equipment and development of volunteer formations, organises training programmes and exercises, implements national and international projects and initiatives, and facilitates the coordination of volunteer resources during large-scale disasters and emergency situations.
A significant part of NAVRB’s work is focused on prevention and preparedness before disasters occur. The Association delivers training programmes and awareness campaigns for children, citizens, volunteers and local government representatives, supports vulnerable groups, and strengthens local capacity for initial disaster response, including in small and remote communities.
Over the years, volunteers and volunteer formations within the NAVRB network have taken part in responding to numerous wildfires, floods and other disasters both in Bulgaria and abroad. Alongside its operational activities, the Association works to enhance volunteer preparedness and working conditions, improve the regulatory framework for volunteerism, attract new volunteers, and promote volunteer engagement as an integral part of the national disaster management and civil protection system.
NAVRB’s mission is to contribute to building a society in which volunteers, professional emergency services, public institutions, businesses and citizens work together before, during and after disasters.
For more information, please visit https://navrb.bg/.
