FIRES IN SICILY. DOUBLE FIRE-FIGHTING INTERVENTION BY AM'S HH 139A HELICOPTER

An HH-139A helicopter from the Italian Air Force carried out two operations to extinguish the fires that had broken out in the municipalities of Campofranco (CL) and Casteldaccia (PA) Yesterday, an Italian Air Force HH-139A helicopter carried out two operations to extinguish the fires that had broken out in two municipalities in Sicily. Early yesterday afternoon, the crew on fire-fighting standby duty, belonging to the 82nd C.S.A.R. (Combat Search and Rescue) Centre in Trapani Birgi, took to the air to tackle a fire that had broken out in the Contrada S. Elia area of the municipality of Campofranco (CL). The crew worked in collaboration with other state agencies on the ground and carried out 18 drops, releasing 12,600 litres of water. Upon returning to base after the first operation, the crew was alerted once again to extinguish a fire in the municipality of Altavilla Milicia (PA). After refuelling, the aircraft took off at around 18:00 and, upon reaching the scene, carried out 17 drops totalling 11,900 litres of water. The operation was carried out in collaboration with two Canadair aircraft. The take-off order for the two operations came from the Air Operations Command (C.O.A.) in Poggio Renatico (Fe), in coordination with the Sicilian Region’s Permanent Unified Operations Centre (S.O.U.P.). The HH-139A is part of the Armed Forces’ assets that the Ministry of Defence has made available for this year’s forest fire-fighting campaign in Sicily, following an agreement signed on 8 June with the National Civil Protection Agency and the Region of Sicily. Firefighting is one of the dual-use capabilities that the Italian Air Force, in collaboration with the other Armed Forces, makes available to the public in cases of public utility or during disasters, operating in this instance in close contact with and in support of the various state agencies and bodies involved in rescue operations both on the ground and in the air. The 82nd C.S.A.R. Centre is part of the 15th Wing, which is based in Cervia, in the province of Ravenna. Together with the other C.S.A.R. Centres spread across the country, it provides a continuous service, 365 days a year, the search and rescue of flight crews in distress, as well as contributing to public service activities such as the search for missing persons at sea or in the mountains, the emergency medical transport of patients in life-threatening situations, and the rescue of those with serious injuries.

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