On June 5th, 2022, the first international technical research and medical rescue exercise “CEI RESCUE 2022” took place in the Italian Alps overlooking Lake Garda, with great success and prominence in various Italian media.
Organized by the Trentino Technical-Sanitary Rescue Unit, the only Italian association affiliated with FIPS that deals with avalanche dogs, it saw the presence of 70 volunteers from all over Italy, Austria and France with dog units from the Pisteur and the Bergrettung.
The exercise consisted in the search, in 7 different areas, of missing persons with different traumas or pathologies (ranging from a pregnant woman with heatstroke to a wood worker traumatized by a cut tree trunk). Canine units and search and rescue teams were deployed. Upon finding the victims, ambulance crews were requested to intervene, or medical rescuers in a team specialized in helicopter rescue. Yes, helicopter rescue: in fact the most interesting part is that all the operations were conducted using two helicopters made available by the Guardia di Finanza and the State Police.
The exercise highlighted the strong spirit of collaboration between all the bodies involved. Requests for further future training Exchange have been made, dealing with both research in woods and on avalanches. Dr. Giuseppe Cerza, member of UST Trentino and national responsible for helicopter rescue and the avalanche dog units, underlined the climate of perfect harmony and effective complementarity between all the participating operators.
The Trentino Technical-Health Rescue Unit, for its avalanche training, makes use of two agreements specifically stipulated with the Alpine School of the Guardia di Finanza of Predazzo and the Alpine Training Center of the State Police of Moena.
