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Perhaps not everyone knows that Modena was, 70 years ago, the first headquarters of the air component unit of the national fire brigade. A moment that will be remembered and celebrated in an official event open to the public.
The Fire Brigade was the first institution to use helicopters for civil rescue purposes, which until then had been exclusively supplied to the military air force.
In 1954, thanks to the foresight of the leaders of the National Corps and the intuition of flight pioneers such as the people of Modena: pilot commander Franco Coppi and engineer Adolfo Casali, the National Corps decided to equip itself with three helicopters by establishing the nuclei of Modena, Rome and Naples.
The contribution of the Modena Command, thanks to Coppi and his collaborators, was so fundamental for the birth and development of the then helicopter units (now Flight Departments) that even today the motto of the helicopter pilots of the Fire Brigade throughout Italy is that of the city of Modena “Avia Pervia”.
A conference on the topic will be held on May 23rd in the presence of the leaders of the National Fire Brigade and representatives of the main aeronautical bodies.
Inside the area of the former helicopter nucleus, it will be possible to view a photographic exhibition and the display of some helicopters supplied to the Fire Brigade and the original AGUSTA BELL 47 G2 which, with the acronym VFMO and piloted by Commander Coppi , was the first to take off with the Fire Brigade insignia.
HISTORY OF THE CORE
The history of the fire brigade began in Modena…”Colonel Coppi of the Modena Command” had been interested in these vehicles as early as 1951 in the Polesine flood, where US helicopters had been used to rescue the populations .
The opportunity to create an air component for the Corps materialized in 1952 when, coming from the United States of America, they arrived in Italy n.
10 Bell 47 G helicopters to assemble. The company chosen for the assembly of these vehicles was Agusta of Varese which at the time built motorcycles.
Colonel Coppi together with other officials of the Fire Brigade convinced the General Directorate of Fire Services to purchase n. 3 helicopters, which were assigned to the commands of Modena (I-VFMO), Rome (I-VFRM) and Naples (IVFNA).
The air component of the Fire Brigade was born. At the same time, among others, “the legendary” colonel Franco Coppi and captain Rinaldo Enrico were sent to the piloting courses, highly decorated for Civil Valor for the numerous rescue operations carried out with the AB 47 Gs and more. In 1954, after the completion of the courses, the Modena unit became operational. Subsequently, starting from 1955, the fleet expanded with the birth of the Genoa nucleus and all the others to follow.
Today the Corps has modern Agusta Westland AW139s, fixed-wing aircraft as well as the entire state forest firefighting fleet which includes 19 Canadairs and 6 Erickson S64-Fs.
EVENT PROGRAM
10.30am influx of guests and visitors to the Hangar conference room
11:00 am Greetings from Authorities to follow Ceremony: “70 years of the air component”
Technical interventions carried out by the Central Emergency Management and the Bologna Fire Brigade Flight Department
Presentation of the volume: “The Flight of the Dragons. The aerial component of the Fire Brigade in a story through images” by photographer Massimo Sestini, created with the contribution of Leonardo SpA
12.00 Photographic exhibition on the history of the air component of the CNVVF and a static exhibition on the stand/external area of aircraft.
Furthermore, a fire station will be set up for children.
The exhibition will be open to citizens from 2pm to 8pm
