Story by Airman 1st Class Joseph Bartoszek December 19, 2023 at 10:01AM The 31st Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department assisted the Pordenone Fire Department to extinguish a fire in the industrial area of Azzano Decimo, in Pordenone, Italy, Dec. 16, 2023.
AVIANO AIR BASE, ITALY
12.19.2023
Story by Airman 1st Class Joseph Bartoszek
31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
The 31st Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department assisted the Pordenone Fire Department to extinguish a fire in the industrial area of Azzano Decimo, in Pordenone, Italy, Dec. 16, 2023.
The call requesting support rang in Saturday evening from the Pordenone Dispatch.
“We received the call at approximately 5 p.m. requesting a water tanker,” said fire Capt. Fabrizo La Marca, 31st CES fire crew chief. “The fire started around 2:30 p.m., and we sent our truck out along with three Airmen.”
The truck from the 31st CES Fire Department was sent through the neighboring city with its lights and sirens on to support the Pordenone Fire Department as fast as possible.
“Pordenone often requests us for our water supply,” said La Marca. “Since we have the 2nd biggest water tanker in the region.”
The fire hydrants in Pordenone are different than the hydrants on Aviano Air Base, but the 31st CES ensures they are prepared to support the local community.
“We were able to get custom made adapters for our fire trucks,” said La Marca. “This way, we can work more efficiently with our Italian counterparts.”
The firefighting operations continued throughout Saturday night. In addition to the support from Aviano Air Base, the firefighters from Pordenone received help from the communities of Belluno and Udine.
Reports identified six people working on the roof suffered minor symptoms of smoke inhalation, but thanks to the quick response from the Pordenone Fire Department, and other supporting units, the fire was swiftly put out and there were no casualties.
“As a firefighter, it doesn’t matter what the color of your uniform, color of your helmet, or your nationality is,” said La Marca. “At the end of the day, we can understand each other and what we are supposed to do to achieve our final goal.”
