A group of eight Emergency Response & Rescue Corps volunteers were recently in Legnano, Milan for an International Rescue Training Camp of civil protection exercises called Codice 3.
Having already participated back in 2011, this was the 2nd time that the Gozo based ERRC volunteers had participated in this training camp and were welcomed warmly by all participants.
Among those present, there were French representatives, Polish volunteers, a large number of Italian ambulance organisations such as Croce Bianca and Croce Verde and also the Protezione Civile (CPD) and Interarma who were conducting the simulations.
The ERRC volunteers participated in numerous large scale simulations which required extensive teamwork amongst all the different specialised rescuers. These included Search and Rescue from a large forest fire, extrication of casualties from a collapsing building using rope access equipment, large scale line searches in fields for missing persons and rescuing of people from a lake.
The volunteers said that living in a tent together, as a group for three days was an adventurous experience especially for the young ones. It enhanced teamwork and made the experience that much more memorable.
A lot of new friends were made and old friendships were reinforced. A special thanks from the ERRC goes all Codice 3 organisers, “especially to Marco Tandi whom with great hospitality welcomed our volunteers.”