Bardolino Water Rescue Service Enhances Safety with Croce Rossa Partnership

The water rescue and lifesaving service, operated by volunteers from the local Croce Rossa, has been active since early June and runs every weekend until mid-September.

The young operators are responsible for providing prompt assistance along the Comune’s shoreline and the surrounding waters, utilizing a Prestige Rescue inflatable boat just over five meters long, with a collapsible prow to facilitate the recovery of any shipwrecked individuals onboard.

The 100-horsepower engine allows a speed of approximately 35 knots. The onboard equipment includes nautical and medical supplies, as well as a radio for communication with other units of the Carabinieri, police, Guardia di Finanza, Coast Guard, and Fire Brigade operating on Garda.

The inflatable boat is equipped with lights for nighttime search operations and a floating, vericellable stretcher for helicopter rescue. The personnel in service are also fully equipped with fins, masks, waterproof jackets, and wetsuits.

Innovations and Coordination

Compared to previous years, the innovation this year is the synergy between the Verona Emergenza emergency operations center and the boat on the lake.

By calling 118 (or the mobile number 349/3635081), you can request the rescue boat’s intervention: the inflatable becomes a water rescue device coordinated by 118, similar to an ambulance.

The crew aboard the boat consists of three Croce Rossa operators who have completed approximately six months of specialized training.

The vessel is operated by a skipper with a nautical license and proven experience. Their tasks include patrolling the swimming areas in the Bardolino municipality, searching for missing persons with the possibility of coordination with the Suem 118 helicopter for aerial search, and rescuing vessels in difficulty.

Ground Presence and Agreement

Complementing the water patrol, there are two rescue personnel on land, equipped with a first aid kit and in radio contact with the boat crew, patrolling the promenade connecting Garda with Cisano by bicycle.

The service, called Safe Beaches, results from an agreement between the Croce Rossa and the Comune di Bardolino.