VICENZA -- The first Italian/American fire training for all hazards course, called "Firefighter High Risk" course, took place on Caserma Ederle in June. US Army Garrison Italy firefighters received training from their Italian counterparts at the Vicenza Fire Department, Vigili del Fuoco.
Vicenza Vigili del Fuoco Training Officer Leonardo Rubello taught the course at Ederle Fire Station-1. The certification course for all Vicenza firefighters was held completely in Italian, but combines similar training to that found in U.S. firefighter courses. The course focused on hazardous materials, fire behavior and safety, then closed out with a practical skills demonstration during a live fire performance.
Most USAG Italy local national firefighters are current or former volunteer firefighters for their local Vigili del Fuoco departments. They noted that while there are many similarities between the two nations, there are also some differences, which made it a dynamic course for everyone who attended. For the Americans, learning from an Italian instructor in Italian on the Italian standards helped create bonds of trust between the American and Italian firefighters.
Captain Matt Bannon, fire captain from Del Din Station-2, says he now has a newfound appreciation for what all our firefighters experience each training session. He said he hopes to do more training in the future.
Social Sharing