Ten Years after the Earthquake that Devastated Accumoli, Amatrice and Arquata del Tronto

Pope Francis sent Vatican firefighters and gendarmes to assist the population

It was 3:36 a.m. on 24 August 2016 when a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the central Apennine mountain range, near the border between the regions of Lazio, Umbria, Marches and Abruzzo. The epicentre was located between Accumoli and Amatrice, towns that were devastated along with Arquata del Tronto.

As a sign of solidarity and closeness to the affected communities, Pope Francis immediately dispatched a team from the Fire Brigade Corps of Vatican City State. During the night of 24 August itself, six firefighters set out for Amatrice, taking with them a jeep equipped with a firefighting unit, enabling them to move quickly through the area, as well as a multi-purpose emergency response vehicle carrying the equipment needed for rescue operations.

The firefighters worked in close cooperation with the Italian Civil Protection Department and Italian firefighters, searching for survivors beneath the rubble and assisting those affected by the earthquake. When they arrived in Amatrice, they were confronted with a dramatic scene: destruction, ruins and people in despair.

The following day, a six-member unit of the Gendarmerie Corps was also deployed to carry out patrol and security duties in cooperation with the Italian State Police in order to prevent looting in the areas surrounding the devastated towns. The firefighters operated from the base camp near Amatrice, searching for survivors, recovering victims and securing unstable sections of damaged buildings. They also helped set up the tent camp. They had brought rosaries and holy cards bearing Pope Francis’ blessing, which they gave to local parish priests for distribution among the population.

The presence and work of the firefighters and gendarmes were a tangible sign of the Pope’s solidarity and affection for those who had lost everything—their loved ones, their homes and their livelihoods.

It was not the first time that Vatican firefighters had come to the aid of earthquake victims. They had also provided assistance in the town of Onna following the L’Aquila earthquake during the night of 5–6 April 2009.