He saw the smoke from afar, from the windows of his home. He immediately understood that it was something serious. And without wasting time, he picked up the phone to call for help. "But it's shameful how long it took me to get on the line and get an answer." Speaking is Domenico Leggiero , former military pilot and president of the National Observatory for the personal protection of the armed forces, who was an eyewitness of the dramatic moments that followed the explosion that occurred on a camper parked in the parking lot of Bados beach , in Olbia, cost life to a child. An inferno in which the parents of the little boy were also injured (the father badly burned) and which triggered a fire that dangerously risked spreading to the beach and vegetation.
«LONG WAIT» – «My wife and I spotted the black smoke shortly after 1.30pm», says Leggiero. «So I immediately dialed 115 and a recording started: first in Italian, then in English, French, German. After five, six minutes I finally took the line with the switchboard and signaled the presence of smoke, flames and probably injured people, underlining that it was certainly something very serious».
UNNERVING “PING-PONG” – But, continues Leggiero, «the response I received left me amazed: “Are there any injuries? Then it's not our responsibility, you must call the emergency number ". I tried to insist, but nothing. So, resigned, I hung up and dialed the other number».
But once again waiting, recordings and other precious minutes that were gone. Leggiero continues: «When the operator answered, I explained the situation again and I heard myself say: “Is there a fire? Then you have to call 115”. Incredible. It seemed like a joke, but unfortunately it was a dramatic situation.
«AID AT 2.15 PM» – In the meantime, continues the witness, «my wife also picked up the phone and started calling the emergency numbers, hoping that the two of us would increase the chances of getting the report to its destination in shortest possible time".
In the end, the "battle" was won: after repeated calls, the emergency machine finally left. «But from about 1.35 pm the rescuers arrived when it was already 2.15 pm. My calls are all recorded, just go get the tapes.'
THE DOUBT – In short, concludes the former driver, «I consider what happened intolerable. And obviously the doubt remains: could the damages have been limited with a faster response time?».
IL "NUE" - Pietro Nurra, regional secretary of Conapo, the autonomous trade union of the firefighters, intervenes on the matter: "The new Single Emergency Number system, due to how it is set up upstream, can lead to longer times, as personal responds "layman" who has his professionalism, but has no operational experience in the field. This is why we have been supporting for some time that in order to reduce times, the service should be remodulated by activating a joint headquarters».