Practical Aspects of Life in Venice

When traveling to a tourist destination as popular as Venice most visitors never consider some of the practical aspects of what it’s like to live there. Although the shop owners, tour guides, and restaurateurs greet each vacationer with a smile, life is a challenge, and often not an easy one.

One of the most crucial factors a resident needs to understand is how emergency services such as the fire brigade and ambulances operate. Like all transportation on the island, they get to their locations by boat. The Vigili del Fuoco operates a fleet of specialized red fire boats, which perform the same function as traditional fire engines.

Venice’s main fire station is situated on Rio di Ca’ Foscari, beneath an impressive building from the 1930s. The red watercraft emerge from a number of vaulted slips hidden below the structure. (Photo by Didier Descouens)

It must be challenging for the fire brigade to operate on an island. When I think about the difficulties firemen face just to reach the scene of a fire, I’m overwhelmed. Once they are able to park their boat, they then must drag hoses and old-fashioned, wooden extension ladders through the small alleys, taking up precious time. Another concern is the tides. Boats may not be able to navigate under the smaller bridges at high tide.

Just as important is the issue regarding construction materials of Venetian structures. Although the exteriors are made of stone, the majority of Venetian houses and apartments are comprised of wooden floors and ceilings. So when a fire breaks out, a major concern is how quickly it can spread throughout the entire block of homes.

When the La Fenice opera house was destroyed by a devastating inferno in 1996, a major contributing factor was the lack of access to the area.

Due to recent dredging operations at that time, the canals surrounding the building were dry. This situation severely hindered the availability of a water source to fight the fire, which raged out of control. (Photo by La Fenice)

Unfortunately, no fire hydrants existed at the time either, compounding the lack of fire-fighting resources. That catastrophic night, the Venetian fire brigade was forced to use water from canals farther away. This situation limited the water pressure, making it insufficient to control the rapidly spreading blaze.

The 1996 La Fenice fire is considered the worst fire in the history of Venice. As much as you might assume a fire on an island surrounded by water is a minor issue, in Venice it is the exact opposite.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The other important information residents need to know is how to get help during a medical emergency. The number to call is 118, and a water ambulance will be dispatched. The Venice water ambulances operate as part of Venezia Emergenza, the Venetian Emergency Medical Service.

These yellow-and-orange boats can’t be missed when speeding down the Grand Canal, with their sirens blaring. Aside from the driver, the crew consists of an emergency care nurse and two medical technicians capable of operating the onboard advanced life-support equipment, including an automated respirator, a monitor-defibrillator, and emergency lifesaving drugs. These modern high-speed boats demand  highly-skilled pilots as they weave in and out of canal traffic to reach their destinations.