Snow emergency in Puglia: Gioia del Colle military airport fully operational

(To air Force)
12/01/17

The military airport of Gioia del Colle (BA), seat of the 36 ° Stormo Caccia and located in the middle of the area hit by the extraordinary snow wave, has continued to guarantee, as always, the full operation of all airport services and the surveillance service of the national airspace with aircraft Eurofighter F-2000 and the search and rescue service (Search and Rescue) with the HH-139 helicopters of the 84th CSAR Center (Search and Rescue) that the Air Force guarantees 365 days a year, 24 hours on 24.

In addition to having incessantly supported, with its own men and vehicles, the rescue operations to the local population, following the declaration of the state of disaster in the areas of Puglia, the airport was also made available to host a 118 helicopter of Alidaunia which, together with an HH-139 helicopter of the 84th SAR Center of the 15th Wing of the Air Force, operating on the same airport, will guarantee readiness for health emergencies in the areas most affected by the snow emergency.

The crews of the 84 ° Combat SAR Center of Gioia del Colle (BA) provide an alarm service for 24 Search and Rescue hours on 24 every day of the year. To fulfill this mission, they are HEMS certified (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) officially recognized by the Ministry of Health AGENAS (National Health Agency).

The flight crew is trained and trained on the main subjects of helicopter rescue: use of special night visors (Night Vision Googles - NVG) for flight with little or no light conditions; Air navigation with specialized health personnel; perfect knowledge of the use and use of the devices and devices necessary for the advanced management of the critical patient, including a thermal cradle for in-flight transfers of newborns in serious danger; correct stabilization of adult and pediatric trauma using a certified Kit and stretcher; electrical treatment of heart disease (in-flight defibrillation / cardioversion / pacing); boarding and boarding in a static and dynamic form in cooperation with civil forces and Earth Edge Earth communications; centralization in the reference hospitals equipped with a helipad declared for helicopter rescue activities; consolidated collaboration with HELIAIME and F. MIULLI Hospital of Acquaviva delle Fonti both in the field of education and training and on the availability of health personnel (Resuscitator) and (HEMS specialist nurse).