The inauguration of the Monument to the Civil Protection operators fallen in the performance of their service was held this morning, Friday 3 May, in Tivoli.
A moment of the inauguration of the Monument to the Civil Protection operators fallen in service
Sponsored by the Municipality of Tivoli, by the national and regional Civil Protection and by the Rescue Operational Group, the event took place at the “Itala Terzano” Park, known as “Ex Casette Basse” in via Empolitana, in the presence of the civil, military and ecclesiastical.
The Monument to Civil Protection operators built in the park on Via Empolitana in Tivoli
From the Mayor of Tivoli Giuseppe Proietti to Monsignor Ciro Zeno, canon of the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, up to the representatives of the Carabinieri Station Command of Tivoli, of the Public Security Commissioner of Tivoli, of the Local Police of Tivoli.
Representatives of many civil protection associations attended the eventA great celebration of volunteering in which representatives of the civil protection associations “Volontari Valle Aniene Associati” and “Associazione Volontari Radio Soccorso” of Tivoli took part, as well as those of San Vito Romano, Gallicano nel Lazio, Monterotondo, Palombara Sabina, Marcellina, together with representatives of the National Carabinieri Association and AVIS Tivoli.
Costanzo Di Paolo, pioneer of volunteering and founder of the “VVAA” associationAlso invited to the inauguration of the monument dedicated to the victims of civil protection volunteering was Costanzo Di Paolo, 76 years old, a pioneer of volunteering in the Tiburtina hinterland since 1988 and in 1992 the founder and historic president of the “Volontari Valle Aniene Associati” association. , to which the Rescue Operational Group donated a plaque in recognition of the services rendered in recent years.
Costanzo Di Paolo in an archive photo when he was president of the “VVAA” associationCostanzo Di Paolo discovered his nature as a civil protection volunteer in 1981 while working in
Irpinia for the State Railways and found itself managing the first hospital train for the tragic earthquake of November 23rd 43 years ago.
Already at the time he did not limit himself to checking the functionality of the train, but actively participated with the regional and local authorities to improve assistance to the population in an emergency scenario.
Thus in 1988 Di Paolo had no difficulty in accepting the request of friends to become part of a detachment of a National Association of which after a short time, thanks to his abilities, he assumed the role of President.
In 1992, following the official recognition of a national law which established and officially regulated civil protection volunteering as an integral part of the System, the then regional head suggested to Di Paolo to form his own Association which he gave the name of “Valle Volunteers Aniene Associati” based in Guidonia.
Costanzo started with a group of friends and in 2007 the association he chaired reached up to 150 registered operational volunteers, who participated to multiple national emergencies and international including the humanitarian mission in Albania, known as the Rainbow Mission.
In the context of Civil Protection, Costanzo Di Paolo was a point of reference for thirty years and the founder of “VvAa” also made his experience available to an isolated group of volunteers from Tivoli eager to achieve their autonomy: today that group bears the name “Rescue Operational Group”.
“I thank all the volunteers present and the institutions that intervened, all of this was exciting – said Costanzo Di Paolo, moved by the awarding of the award – This is the healthiest part of our society and at the same time I invite young people to follow these examples” .
