REAS 2023: an international success for emergency services
New record for REAS 2023: 29,000 attendees from 33 countries in Europe and around the world
REAS 2023 marked a new milestone with an attendance of 29,000 visitors, an increase of 16% compared to the previous edition in 2022. This great success was the result of three intense days dedicated to emergency, first aid and firefighting at the Exhibition Centre in Montichiari (Brescia), which attracted participants from Italy and as many as 33 European and international countries. An event that also saw a significant growth in the number of exhibitors, with over 265 companies, organisations and associations (+10% compared to 2022) from all over Italy and 21 other countries, occupying over 33 thousand square metres of exhibition space.
Ezio Zorzi, General Manager of the Montichiari Exhibition Centre, shared his enthusiasm for this record result, emphasising the constant increase in interest in the event in recent years. “REAS is confirmed as the main exhibition in Italy in the emergency sector and among the most important in Europe. Once again this year, thousands of volunteers and professionals had the opportunity to discover the best of the production, experience and technologies available on the national and international market“.
The 2023 edition of ‘REAS’ was opened by Fabrizio Curcio, Head of the Civil Protection Department. The eight halls of the exhibition centre presented the latest technological innovations, including new products and equipment for first-aid operators, special vehicles for civil protection and fire-fighting, electronic systems and drones for interventions in the event of natural disasters, as well as assistive devices for people with disabilities. During the three days of the exhibition, more than 50 conferences, seminars and workshops were organised, which aroused great interest among the participants.
A particularly popular event was the ‘FireFit Championships Europe’, a European competition for firefighters and volunteers in the firefighting sector. This once again demonstrated the importance of events such as ‘REAS’ in promoting the exchange of experience and knowledge on an international level.
Director Zorzi has already announced the next edition of ‘REAS’, scheduled to take place in one year’s time, from 4 to 6 October 2024, with the promise of further initiatives to involve the public and exhibitors even more and increase the international visibility of the event.
The organisation of the ‘REAS’ exhibition was made possible thanks to the partnership between the Montichiari Exhibition Centre, Hannover Fairs International and ‘Interschutz’, the world’s leading trade fair in Hannover. Andreas Züge, Managing Director of Hannover Fairs International, commented on the importance of ‘REAS 2023’ as a catalyst for international exchanges thanks to a rich technical programme of congresses and seminars.
International associations, such as the German Association for the Promotion of Fire Protection (VFDB), also praised the event. Wolfgang Duveneck, spokesman for the VFDB, emphasised the importance of knowledge exchange across national borders and the indispensable value of the interpersonal relationships developed during ‘REAS’. Anticipation is already looking forward to the next edition in 2024, but also to the meeting at ‘Interschutz’ in Hanover in 2026, a sign of the continuing commitment to international cooperation to meet the growing challenges in the emergency services.