Monday 29 November saw the conclusion of the ‘three-day’ training exercise with Alpine Rescue experts and crews from the Centre, engaged in rescues in inaccessible areas. On Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 November, at Trapani Birgi air base, home of the 82nd Centre, preparatory briefings for the activity were held, and two flights were carried out with the Centre's HH-3F helicopter. The flight missions took place between the old Kinisia military airport, on Wednesday 24, and Macari (Trapani), on Thursday 25, training CNSAS Sicily personnel to be winched up, both individually and in double harnesses, as well as with the hoistable stretcher, simulating the rescue and recovery of an injured person from inaccessible areas. On Monday 29, a crew from the 82nd Centre redeployed to Lamezia Terme and then proceeded to Sellia (Catanzaro), where, upon reaching the sports field, a briefing was held and the training activity was carried out with personnel from CNSAS Calabria, ’Catanzaro’ and ‘Sila’ sections, with the aim of training rescuers in winching procedures on the HH-3F helicopter. ‘The resumption of the training activity carried out, as every year, has been as usual very rewarding thanks to the high professionalism of the 82nd CSAR crews,’ stated unanimously Mr. Biancone, head of CNSAS Sicily, Mr. Folinazzo and Mr. Aquino, respectively heads of the “Catanzaro’ and ”Sila‘ sections.
Upon arrival at Sellia, the crew of the 82nd Centre was welcomed by the entire community of the small pre-Sila town, led by the Mayor, Davide Zicchinella, and the Civil Protection Councillor, Filippo Fittante. Following the training activity with the CNSAS, the crew bid farewell to the town’s authorities, and the visiting school groups had the opportunity to see how the Centre’s crews train and to witness the capabilities of the HH-3F helicopter. The 82nd CSAR Centre is one of the units of the 15th CSAR Wing which guarantees, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the search and rescue of flight crews in distress, using HH-3F helicopters. It also contributes to public utility activities such as the search for missing persons at sea or in mountains, the emergency medical transport of patients in life-threatening conditions, and the rescue of severely traumatised individuals. Since its establishment to date, the crews of the 15th Wing have saved approximately 7,000 people in peril of their lives.
