The Voluntary Firefighting Brigades

The tradition of volunteer firefighting has always been deeply rooted in the Trentino region, dating back to the time of the Austrian Empire. On January 1, 1853, the Imperial Royal Regency of Italian Tyrol issued the Fire Prevention Regulations for the municipalities of the Regency of Italian Tyrol, which was the first official regulation to systematically organize firefighting, requiring each municipality to establish a volunteer fire department appropriate to the size and characteristics of its territory. Starting in the last decades of the 1800s, ...

...numerous equipped volunteer corps began to spring up in many municipalities in the Tyrolean province, as well as in the city of Trento, where the Civic Fire Department was founded in 1863. Until 1935, this type of corps was maintained at the municipal level, until the arrival of fascism, which, with Decree Law No. 2472 of October 10, 1935, established the Central Fire Department Inspectorate under the Ministry of the Interior. This led to the creation of the 85th Fire Brigade, formed by the Provincial Command of Trento and volunteer detachments in the rest of the province. In 1941, this new corps merged with the National Fire Brigade, under the Ministry of the Interior. With the end of World War II and following the De Gasperi-Gruber agreements, Trentino-Alto Adige became an autonomous region, with the two autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano, and thanks to the legislative power constitutionally entrusted by the statute of autonomy, responsibility for firefighting passed entirely to the Region. The new firefighting service regulations were approved by Law No. 24 of August 20, 1954, and the Corps was placed under the authority and control of the provincial council, together with the permanent corps of Bolzano and the volunteer corps in the municipalities of the Region, thus dissolving the previous 85th Fire Brigade. With the revision of the Statute of Autonomy, the Region delegated the administrative functions of the regional fire service to the two autonomous provinces, thus establishing the fire service of the Autonomous Province of Trento, which in 1990 was included in the newly established Provincial Civil Protection Department.

Behind the Firefighters and the Trainees

Although little is said about them, volunteer firefighters and trainees perform a vital service for the community in which they operate, investing their precious time free of charge. In the most representative moments, they are often described as heroes and fearless individuals. However, these men and women are ordinary people who have decided to put themselves on the line for the good of others. Speed and professionalism are fundamental characteristics which, combined with initiative, solidarity, and teamwork, enable us to offer an excellent service. These principles are passed on by the respective instructors to all boys and girls aged 10 to 17 who join the Junior Fire Brigade, with the hope of educating future citizens and firefighters.

The Vehicles

The Villazzano Fire Department has two Land Rover 90s, a Land Rover 110 with a water module, a Mercedes Sprinter multi-purpose rescue van, a motor pump trolley, and a forest fire trolley.

Trainees

Would you like to join the Fire Brigade Trainees? Here is some information: Boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 17 who are physically fit for the specific activity according to their doctor's certification (in accordance with the requirements of the provincial fire department) and who reside in the municipality to which the Brigade belongs or in neighboring municipalities belonging to the same district, subject to agreement between the respective mayors and notification to the competent district inspector. By way of example and without limitation, the Trainee will carry out training activities that may include basic physical activity, sports activities, first aid, maneuvers and exercises, demonstration tests and CTIF, hiking and camping, safety maneuvers, self-safety, and rock climbing basics, water safety and rescue techniques, guided tours, training and educational activities at the maneuver castle with various courses, knowledge of firefighting equipment, civic education, road safety education, topography basics, and knowledge of prevention...

Info and Contacts

For requests and info: vvfvillazzano@gmail.com Commander: Andrea Cavazzani cell. 347 9264257