Falco 2 returns to the Veneto sky: the helicopter that was the star of 163 rescue missions in 2022 is back this year. Alpines and 118 angels are ready for the summer season
Men and women who never give up when it comes to saving people. The 118 angels will reinforce their presence in the Veneto mountains this year with a second helicopter, in addition to the one going from Treviso. Falco 2 will then depart from Belluno, where it will also have a specialized operating headquarters, with an emergency doctor, a critical area nurse, a helicopter rescue technician from Veneto Alpine, and a speleological rescue expert on board.
It is a 2022 project mutually developed by two Veneto firms: Suem 118, Medical Emergency Service, which has its operational crisis center situated in Treviso, and the Alpines of mountain rescue. The Alpines are the first and foremost professionals in mountain rescue and are involved in search and rescue missions, as well as emergency assistance in alpine situations for the lost, injured, or sick. They are also specialised speleological rescue personnel, dealing with internal cave operations.
Falco 2 will be managed by the new SUEM operations center in Piave di Cadore, in the province of Belluno, and will operate 15 hours a day, from 6:00 to 21:00, with the night rescue ensured by the Treviso base. As a result, helicopter rescue will be more active during the vital months of July and August.
The new ten-year partnership has been given 300,000 euros for the year 2023, with an additional 50,000 euros provided every year for the life of the convention. Furthermore, the Creu (Regional Emergency Emergency Coordination) will conduct a study of the trial outcomes throughout the summer to adopt a comprehensive measure of restructuring of the rescue network to ensure a rapid and effective 24-hour presence.
