Coordinator beneficiary
Emergency Surgery Group

The Gruppo Chirurgia d’Urgenza per Interventi di Protezione Civile (GCU-Pisa) for Civil Protection is an O.N.L.U.S. Association of volunteers (medical doctors, nurses, technicians, mostly employed in the Santa Chiara Hospital of Pisa - Italy) having at their disposal an advanced medical post with surgery, capable to respond immediately to critical needs arising from major disasters and provide civil protection assistance inside and outside the European Union.

The Mission of GCU is to provide solidarity support in the field of health, social protection to the population at whole, given by volunteers with continuity and spontaneity.
In particular, the association is involved during emergencies in the health sector and it is finalised in activities related to Civil Protection. The association carry out its own activities at national and international level, with didactic and research support of the Hospital Unit of General and Emergency Surgery from the Specialised School of the Pisa University.

Since its foundation, about 25 years ago, the GCU have participated to numerous humanitarian missions, all over the world:

  • March 1991: Herzican (Turkey) earthquake;
  • September 1997: Umbria and Marche (Italy) earthquake;
  • April 1999: Albania, humanitarian mission for the refugees from Kosovo;
  • May 2003: Algeria, Boudouaou area;
  • December 2003: Bam (Iran) earthquake;
  • December 2005: Sri Lanka Tsunami disaster;
  • May 2008: Sichuan (China) earthquakes;

All the international missions have been realised in close collaboration with the Italian Civil Protection Department and most of them in the framework of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

Associated Beneficiary
Municipality of Pisa

The Municipality of Pisa is the local Civil Protection authority and directly manage local emergency interacting with all the local emergency services.The Civil Protection Office of the Municipality has also a team able to setup communication network based on Satellite, HF radio and high speed wireless data so to provide voice and data services on the emergency field. The communication network can also be used for video, medical application and for the transmission of GIS data acquired with a GPS platform.

Associated Beneficiary
Fire Brigade of Pisa

The Fire Brigade of Pisa has about 300 firefighters working in the urban area of Pisa and surroundings and is dependent on the Ministry of the Interior of the Italian Government.

The mission of the Fire Department of Pisa is to protect the lives and property of the people from fires, natural disasters, and hazardous materials incidents; to prevent fires through prevention and education programs.

Moreover, the Fire Department of Pisa has gained a large experience in urban search and rescue operartions, by participating to a large number of humanitarian missions, both in national and international disaster areas:

  • April 1999: Albany, humanitarian mission for the refugees from Kosovo;
  • August 1999: Bolu Eskisehir - Istambul (Turkey)
  • December 1999:Turkey eartquake;
  • May 2003: Algeria, Boudouaou area earthquake;
  • December 2003: Bam (Iran) earthquake;
  • December 2005: Sri Lanka Tsunami disaster.

Associated Beneficiary
Italian Red Cross of Pisa

The Italian Red Cross of Pisa operates in the social sanitary and civil protection sector. With qualified personell it faces emergencies, calamities, etc. It prepares materials and logistic equipment finalized in particular to the management of hospital camps, both in the natural calamity emergencies and in the situation of armed conflicts. In this project it operates for the support of the camp and like beneficiary’s sanitary aid.
The personal of the Italian Red Cross of Pisa has participated to numerous humanitarian missions both in national and international areas:

  • November 1994: Piemonte (Italy) flood;
  • September 1997: Umbria e Marche (Italy) earthquake;
  • November 2002: Molise Campo di Larino (Italy) earthquake;
  • April 1999: Albany, Kukes area, humanitarian mission;
  • May 2003: Iraq humanitarian mission;
  • Dicembre 2005: Sri Lanka tsunami;
  • Agosto 2007: Lebanon.