The origins of REAS: how did the most important rescue exhibition in Italy come about?
The most awaited rescue event of the year in Italy is approaching.
Are you ready for the 23rd edition of REAS?
How did it become a key event and how did the Emergency Equipment for Rescue and Safety come about?
Its inventor Maurizio Catania tells us:
“The first edition of REAS occurred in 1995, then we stopped for 5 years and we were back in 2000 with La festa del volontariato”
28 years ago there was the idea to create a space for the specialists in emergency and all the innovations in the industry. At that time Mr Catania was the president of an important voluntary organization in Brescia and personally marked a turning point.
The origins of REAS: from first edition to today
After a trip to Spain and a visit to a local event dedicated to emergency, he went back in his hometown willing to create something new. A meeting point for companies, volunteers, and organizations in a dynamic and open to new ideas environment.
Anthough at the beginning it was a simple “local celebration” says Catania, “it soon became a real national exhibition for emergency” also thanks to several requests from colleague volunteers and companies.
The REAS then paved the way for many rescue events in the following years, creating a space for rescue and emergency on the European scene.
The celebration that in 1995 occupied just half a pavilion of the Montichiari Fair Center is now an international fair that counts 25,000 visitors (data updated to 2022, a year that saw an increase of +10% compared to the previous edition) and fills 8 entire pavilions (plus the outdoor spaces, the congress halls and all the collateral events).
Certainly, the reputation of the REAS was strengthen by the collaboration with international event such as INTERSCHUTZ, also joined by the REAS in 2015.
“It’s like my little girl! I have seen it grow with a thousand difficulties, but always with strong support from volunteers and companies” arriving to Japan by participating to the RISCON (Risk Control in Tokyo – Security and Safe Trade EXPO) fair.
Stem and REAS: the stands from 2005 to date
Stem has always attended the event supporting the project and understanding the potential right from the start.
But what were the stands like in the early years? How have they changed over time?
Let’s take a leap into the past together and discover our outfittings from 2005 to today.
Then in 2018 we launched the Sherpa. Who was there? Here is an interview from the Press Office of the Montichiari Exhibition Center with the founder of Stem Ezio Menna.
Now it’s time to discover what’s new this year.
Come visit us in Pavillon 5 Stand B57 from 6 to 8 October