The "Progressive Bulgaria" parliamentary group is introducing amendments to the Health Act that will authorize police officers to use automated external defibrillators upon arrival at an incident. Deputy Chairman of the Health Committee Georgi Iliev announced at a briefing in the National Assembly that the goal is to equip all Ministry of Interior vehicles with such devices.
Iliev pointed out that approximately 10,000 people die from sudden cardiac arrest every year. According to him, if defibrillation is performed within the first five minutes, 60 to 80% of cases could have a positive outcome. Statistics show that ambulances arrive at locations within 8 to 12 minutes, whereas police officers are often the first to reach the scene of an incident.
The Bulgarian Red Cross is prepared to begin phased training for Ministry of Interior personnel. The equipment will cover approximately 2,300 vehicles, including traffic police patrol cars, security police, and fire safety units. Funding for the initiative will be provided through the state budget and the Road Safety Fund.
"With this bill, we want to promote the use of automated defibrillators, which can be used by any citizen, as the device itself provides instructions," Iliev added. He emphasized that this practice is widely established in Europe, while in Bulgaria, awareness regarding the use of these devices remains low.