A fire. The mountain burns. Everyone runs away. Everyone tries to protect their own life and that of those they love. Fire, often a friend, when it blazes up, evading all control, becomes the worst of enemies. The tragedy of Crans Montana is still engraved in our eyes. Enthralled by himself, he extends his tongues beyond measure. To stay alive he must destroy. The animals and the landscape die; beauty gives way to desolation; everything becomes barren, arid. Ashes where there was so much life.
Natural disasters – natural? – they have no intelligence, they kill without mercy, unaware of the pain they cause. And while everyone runs away from the devouring flames, you, however, dear firefighters, are getting closer. Courageous, altruistic to the point of recklessness. Love cannot be measured. It seems that you are not afraid of flames, you approach them, you challenge them, more often than not, you overcome them, achieving victories that are rarely celebrated. You are the bitterest enemies of devastating fires. You manage to save trees and things, animals and houses from their voracity. But above all, them, your brothers and sisters in humanity. Run. They call you, run.
Fire Brigade: one of the many flagships of our beautiful Italy. Life-loving men who have declared war on the flames that kill. And fire, without eyes and without a heart, is not always willing to raise the white flag. He got a taste for it. Advance. Shows all his strength. Here, you have arrived, the tug of war begins. In the meantime, we are watching you. From the safety of our homesperhaps lying by the sea, or walking along the cool mountain paths; perhaps from our workplaces, we are watching you. We would like to rush to help you but, not being able to, we will only end up being in your way. Yours is not just any jobspecific skills, exercises, physical and psychological strength, will, desire for good, love for human beings and for one’s country are needed. Run; without knowing what awaits you, run. Force! We are on your side. We are rooting for you.
Whoever believes in God raises a prayer: «Lord, let them return to their loved ones safe and sound». Those who love you, from home, fear and tremble. Even Alessandro Marchi, Head of the Fire Brigade in Caltanissetta, felt the rush to rush to help. Soon! We need to get there before the flames devour everything. Before the damage count gets longer. Soon! We are needed. There is nothing that gives man the strength to do his duty as best as possible than the certainty of being useful, if not even indispensable.. That’s when everything takes a back seat: risk, time, vacation, physical tiredness, family. Your own life.
Alessandro went to the place from which the others were running away. It’s suffocating hot. The air is heavy, unbreathable. At times it seems to be completely missing. Maybe it’s the smoke, maybe it’s the tiredness, something goes wrong, Alessandro feels ill. Think that, like many other times, it will pass. A temporary illness. These are difficult times. A breath of air, a sip of fresh water, a friendly hand on your forehead, the support of a colleague and you’re back to being a tamer. Instead, no. This time it’s not like the other times. This time the heart threatens to stop forever. It’s not possible, Alessandro is only 59 years old and has many projects to carry out. The family and Italy still need him. Hold on, Alexander. Hold on. And you who share fate and dangers with him, please rescue him from the clutches of the hyena. Put her to flight, the old witch.
Alexander is dead. A firefighter died. One of our defenders is dead. To allow us to live he died. To keep our children safe he died. Is Alexander a hero? Yes, he’s a hero. And heroes must be known, thanked, praised. And with them, those who love them and suffer for their passing. We do so, uniting ourselves in the pain of the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, who in a message to the Prefect Attilio Visconti, writes: «Deeply saddened, I express my solidarity with the National Fire Brigade, asking you to send expressions of heartfelt sympathy to the family members».
