Piedmont region expands defibrillator network to municipalities and mountain sites

The Piemonte regional government in Italy is extending its network of external automatic defibrillators (DAE) beyond alpine and hiking shelters to include municipal buildings, mountain unions, natural parks and other public facilities with high visitor traffic. The expansion follows a December 2024 regional decree financed through the Fund for the Development of Italian Mountains (FOSMIT) and aims to improve emergency response where rescue times can be long.

A second call for interest will be launched in the coming weeks, allowing local authorities to apply for devices and for training programmes to enable proper use. Regional Development and Mountain Promotion Councillor Marco Gallo said, “The extension of the defibrillator network is a clear and strategic choice because safety in the Piedmont mountains must be a guaranteed right everywhere, not only in the most exposed places.”