Gorges and canyons

The Scuola Nazionale Tecnici Soccorso in Forra (SNaFor) (or‘National school of rescue technicians in gorge’) is the technical authority of the CNSAS that deals with training at all levels in the specific sector. It is one of the national schools recognized in accordance to law n.74/2001.

The teaching staff is made up of Istruttori Nazionali (INFor) (national instructors), specialists with long-standing specific experience, both in the progression and in the rescue in the gorge, coming from the speleological rescue and alpine rescue sectors.

The national school has its own regulations, a reference training plan and an educational plan for the training and qualification of the operational figures (Operatore in Forra, Operatore di Soccorso in Forra, Tecnico di Soccorso in Forra) and the teaching figures (Istruttore Nazionale , Istruttore Regionale).

To guarantee training and evaluation uniformity, the operational qualifications of the sector are issued directly by the national school management.

The activities of the national school officially began in 2005, with the standardization of techniques, materials and teaching.

Subsequently, with the appropriate updating and verification modules, carried out in 2006 and 2007, the first gorge rescue technicians were qualified. Since 2007, training has also begun in regional services, extended to almost all the areas of the territory.

Today, after a period of transition, the school regularly carries out training activities in the areas of the territory and, given the specificity of the sector, on behalf of the National Council, has already provided training to other entities that have requested the support of SNaFor.

The staff of the national school is currently constituted by ten Istruttori Nazionali di Soccorso in Forra (INFor), coordinated by a director and a deputy director.