Helicopter rescue platforms in Calabria, Bruni: written question on Snai area projects

John

By John

“The national strategy for internal areas (SNAI) represents a policy of development and territorial cohesion which aims to counter marginalization and the phenomena of demographic decline in the internal areas of our country. In the 2014/2020 programming, of the 2013 stability law and the subsequent ones, 4 areas were established in Calabria for the implementation of the National Strategy for Internal Areas and during the years 2020/21 the framework program agreements were signed which concern the 4 areas identified, namely Reventino Savuto, Area Grecanica, Versante Jonico – Serre, Presila – Sila Crotone and Cosenza which include a total of 58 municipalities and a population (ISTAT 2020 data) of 93,700 inhabitants”. Amalia Bruni, Regional Councilor of the Democratic Party and Vice President of the Health Commission, wrote this in a note.

“Through the Budget Laws, the 4 identified Areas have been assigned over 3.7 million euros of state funding for each of them and, subsequently, regional co-financing to the extent of double the sums assigned by the State; among the interventions envisaged in each Framework Program Agreement of the 4 Areas results in the creation of 17 platforms for emergency activities ensured by helicopter rescue in the areas furthest from hospitals. In the 4 SNAI areas the following Municipalities have been identified for helicopter rescue activities: for the Reventino Area Savuto: Scigliano, Cicala, Soveria Mannelli. The Ionian Slope Area – Serre: Serra San Bruno, Bivongi, Monasterace, Isca sull’Ionio; The Greek Area: Cardeto, Montebello Ionico – Fossato Ionio hamlet, Bagaladi, San Lorenzo – Chorio hamlet – Roccaforte del Greco, Bova, Palizzi Marina, Ferruzzano; the PreSila and Sila Area Crotone and Cosenza: Bocchigliero, Umbriatico. All the technical characteristics of the platforms/helipads fully comply with the relevant legislation. All the helicopter rescue platforms had to be built by the end of 2023 as is clear from the timetables of the Framework Program Agreements. The construction of these structures would have led to a significant increase in the levels of assistance in the internal areas for the reduction, in cases of emergency/urgency, of the current travel times (in some SNAI areas up to 45 minutes from the first call) to the facilities hospitals closer than the national average (21 minutes from the call). None of this has been done and for this reason we, as a Democratic Party Group, have presented a written question to find out what the state of the art is of the work aimed at creating the platforms and what initiatives we intend to take to achieve the achievement of this result of great importance for the internal areas of Calabria and for the Regional Health System itself”.