The historic departure of the Tour de France from Florence represents an exceptional event for the city and a unique opportunity to raise public awareness of the importance of prevention and timeliness in emergency interventions.
Every year, in Italy, 60 thousand people lose their lives due to sudden cardiac arrest. It has been shown that using a defibrillator before the ambulance arrives can increase the survival rate well over 50%.
Aware of these data, the Metropolitan City of Florence has decided to increase the presence of defibrillators in the city and in the Florentine municipalities, positioning an additional nine along the route of the Tour de France.
The defibrillators, supplied and installed by the Florentine company Emd112, are the latest generation, HeartSine samaritan PAD 350P model, and have been placed on high-visibility panels and display cases to ensure easy identification and accessibility.
This initiative, promoted by the historic sports club Firenze Rugby 1931, which has collaborated with EMD112 for years in other events and charitable activities, involves the installation of the devices in strategic points in the municipalities of Florence (in Piazza della Signoria and Piazzale Michelangelo), Bagno a Ripoli, Pontassieve, Pelago, Rufina, Dicomano and San Godenzo. The rental defibrillators were positioned to cope with the extraordinary turnout of the public during the race days.
The Grand Départ of the 2024 Tour de France will take place on Saturday 29 June, with the start of the first stage, Florence-Rimini, 206 km long.
On Thursday 27th June, the presentation of the 22 international teams was held at Piazzale Michelangelo, an event that attracted thousands of fans.
The city of Florence is transformed into a lively center of activities and celebrations to best welcome athletes, teams, professionals and the public. Piazza Santa Croce becomes a free Fan Park open to all, with entertainment, games, gadgets and spaces dedicated to food.
In addition, several initiatives will be organised to encourage the use of bicycles in everyday life, with particular attention to children, such as the “Savoir Rouler à vélo” programme and the solidarity initiative “Un vélo pour tous”.
This cardioprotection initiative not only represents an added value for safety during the Tour de France, but also demonstrates the commitment of the Metropolitan City of Florence to prevention and protection of the health of its citizens and visitors.
The presence of highly visible and easily accessible defibrillators can make a difference in the event of cardiac emergencies, underlining the importance of prevention and timeliness in first aid interventions.
Attached images of the stations
Il video by Florence TV on usable by media and social channels
