Our History...
...in a nutshell
The Villazzano Vouluntary Firefighting Brigade was officially founded on May 24, 1883, and consisted of 12 firefighters. In the same year, the Brigade was responsible for extinguishing a large fire that broke out in Valsorda, and ten years later, it distinguished itself by intervening in the fire that struck the Capuchin Friars' Convent in Trento. During the First World War, many firefighters were sent to the front, and it was not until 1926, shortly before being incorporated into Trento, that the municipality of Villazzano announced a competition for 14 positions as “Civic Firefighters.”
Between 1930 and 1956, due to economic difficulties and the outbreak of World War II, the Villazzano Brigade ceased its activities. Only after persistent efforts by the mayor's delegate Natale Bazzanella in 1956 was the Corps re-established, providing essential service equipment and renewed equipment in the following years.
In addition to intervening in areas adjacent to those under its jurisdiction (the Stava disaster of 1985), the Corps also carried out rescue operations outside the province. These included interventions following the earthquakes that struck Friuli in 1976, Irpinia in 1980, and Umbria in 1997.
In the 1990s, the barracks, previously located near the post office and later adjacent to the Pascoli middle school, were moved to the ITEA complex on Via Valnigra, where they are currently located.
The third millennium sees the Villazzano Vouluntary Firefighting Brigade once again engaged on several fronts, both at home (among the most recent and significant interventions are those of 2018, when the Corps was called upon to intervene to deal with the extensive damage caused by Storm Vaia, and that of 2020, when it provided support to the population exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic) and outside the region (earthquakes in Abruzzo in 2009, Emilia in 2012, and severe weather emergency in Friuli in 2023).
In 2012, a youth group was established, composed of young people between the ages of 10 and 17 who were eager to join the Corps upon reaching the age of majority
Currently the Brigade has 23 officers on its staff, including one female officer, four trainees, one supporting member, and one honorary officer.
In 2024, 133 emergency and non-emergency technical rescue operations were carried out, totaling 516 man-hours, 50 meetings dedicated to theoretical/practical training and student group activities for a total of 1,650 man-hours, 36 prevention services and participation in events for a total of 806.3 man-hours, and 12 organizational meetings.
In terms of vehicles, the Corps has two Land Rover 90s, a Land Rover 110 with a water module, and a Mercedes Sprinter multi-purpose rescue van equipped with various tools for technical interventions, road accidents, floods, etc., a motor pump trolley, and a forest fire trolley.