Como, Guardia di Finanza: Summer mountain rescue operations in Lombardy, Piedmont, and the Aosta Valley

With the end of the summer period, it's time to take stock of the Varese Air Section, engaged on theAlpine arc of Lombardy, Piedmont and Aosta Valley in business of search and rescue to safeguard human life.

This year, to increase speed and effectiveness of interventions in medium and high mountains, at Flight Department of the Fiamme Gialle a has been prepared coordination plan which has provided, with a periodic rotation, the presence in the office of air rescue technicians from the Guardia di Finanza Alpine Rescue Stations (SAGF), ready to move aboard helicopters in emergency scenarios.

The outcome of the activity demonstrates the will of the Guardia di Finanza to offer a local service for citizens, aimed at safeguarding the human life in mountain environments. The AW169 helicopters, stationed at Venegono Superiore, took part in 29 search and rescue operations, saving 15 hikers and identifying 4 missing without life.

Technology has been particularly useful in rescue services “IMSI – IMEI Catcher”, supplied to the Corps' aircraft, capable of locate GSM/UMTS/LTE cell phone devices by detecting location data through identification codes IMSI and IMEI.

La synergy between the Varese Air Section, Alpine Rescue Stations (SAGF) ​​and canine units was the added value of the operations, to which are added the collaborations with the Government Commissioner for the search for missing persons and with the National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps (CNSAS).