The Monitoring Committee of the Cross-Border Cooperation Programme INTERREG VI-A “Greece-Bulgaria 2021-2027” has approved the Targeted Project of Strategic Importance “Flood Guard 2” (full title: “Enhancing the capacity for prevention and response in case of floods and subsequent natural disasters and emergencies in the cross-border region”).
The project is approved under Priority 1 – A more resilient & greener Greece-Bulgaria cross-border territory and Specific Objective 2.4 – Climate change adaptation. Its budget is 5.781.498,36€ (ERDF: 4.625.198,69€) and its duration is 36 months. As a continuation of “Flood Guard” project, funded by the Programme Interreg V-A “Greece-Bulgaria 2014-2020”, it will capitalize on past results and experience.
More specifically, “Flood Guard 2” aims to improve flood response in the cross-border area, enhancing coordination among authorities and providing integrated results. It focuses on various aspects of flood risk management. It will improve first responders’ skills through joint training, specialized equipment, joint operational procedures and joint intervention plan. Moreover, it will identify evacuation sites, inform the public about them and train them on how to act during floods, ensuring the safety of the cross-border region and its residents.
The project is expected to boost first responders’ skills and the public’s readiness to floods, whereas better preparedness and cooperation between Bulgaria’s DG “Fire Safety and Civil Protection” and the Hellenic Fire Corps will help first responders limit the public’s exposure to disasters.
Find more information about the project here.