The fourth edition of the "Convegno Medicina Montagna Trentino" (Trentino Mountain Medicine Conference) chose Val di Fassa as the venue, on June 13 and 14, to address a highly relevant topic: “Safety in the Mountains or Risk Management? Current Situation and Future Perspectives.” Due to ongoing tourism promotion, technological innovations, developments in the area, and the growing influence of social media, mountain visits for sports and tourism is steadily increasing in all seasons. However, awareness of danger and personal maturity in approaching the mountain environment do not seem to have grown at the same pace, as shown by the annual number of alpine rescue interventions and testimonies from many mountain professionals.
The conference opened on the morning of June 13 at the Marmolada Cinema in Canazei, with a tribute to Alex Dantone, Diego Perathoner, Luca Prinoth, and Erwin Riz, who lost their lives on December 26, 2009, during a Trentino Alpine Rescue mission. In attendance were Antonio Ferro, General Director of the Trento Provincial Health Services; Giovanni Bernard, Mayor of Canazei; Maurizio del Greco, Director of the Cardiology Unit in Rovereto; Fausto Lorenz, President of the Val di Fassa Tourism Board (APT); and Roberta Silva, President of the Trentino Mountain Hut Association.
Afterward, professionals from the Scientific Societies of Mountain Medicine, Travel Medicine, Hygiene, Preventive Medicine, and Public Health engaged in dialogue with those who live and work in the mountains—such as hut managers, alpine guides, experts, and institutions. Various topics were addressed, ranging from traditional hazards to emerging ones, which blur the line between the false belief in a completely safe mountain and a more conscious approach through risk management. Topics included weather forecasting and interpreting avalanche bulletins, protective measures against mountain hazards, the impact of climate change on the alpine environment, the “Healthy and Safe Mountain Huts” project, the role of pulmonology, the prevention of neurological complications in the mountains, tick-borne diseases, and various other topics.
On June 14, the doctors headed to higher altitudes, specifically the stunning natural amphitheater of Ciampedie in Vigo, to explore topics such as “Wilderness Medicine” for safety in remote environments, mountain activities for children with families and for the elderly, the presence of bears and wolves in alpine areas (including challenges and prospects), water supply and usage in mountain huts, and how alpine facilities can serve as places for risk reduction—particularly through the availability and use of defibrillators when needed.
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