After a year of intensive preparation, REAS—the International Emergency Exhibition—is fast approaching; it will take place from Thursday, October 8, to Saturday, October 10, at Centro Fiera Montichiari (Brescia). Now in its twenty-fifth edition, the event is the premier annual gathering for companies and professionals in the fields of firefighting, first aid, civil protection, assistive devices for people with disabilities, and workplace safety.
Indeed, emergency management requires increasingly integrated and cross-disciplinary skills to adapt to needs that vary based on a multitude of factors. During the summer, for instance, millions of Italians flock to major seaside resorts, putting rescue operations for swimmers or boats in distress to the test. Fortunately, however, the number of rescue interventions is declining: according to Coast Guard data, 1,367 people were rescued in Italian waters in 2025 as part of the “Safe Seas and Lakes” summer operation—a sharp drop compared to the 1,752 rescued in 2024 and the 1,716 in 2023. The number of fatalities is also decreasing; there were 83 deaths in 2025 due to sudden illness or accidents at sea, whereas 126 and 111 deaths were recorded in 2024 and 2023, respectively. Cutting-edge maritime rescue technologies will be a highlight of REAS 2026, an edition increasingly focused on innovation.
According to Coast Guard data, emergency interventions for vessels in distress have also decreased; in the summer of 2025, 403 recreational vessels were assisted (compared to 515 in 2024 and 495 in 2023). Specifically, last year saw 203 vessels requiring assistance due to engine failure, 83 due to adverse weather conditions, 51 due to running aground, and 14 due to collisions. The number of inspections regarding recreational boating was substantial in 2025, totaling 38,786 (down from 40,944 in 2024 and 42,354 in 2023), with 3,666 violations recorded. Conversely, there was a marked increase in the surface area of public maritime land that had been illegally occupied and subsequently restored to public use, reaching 505,000 square meters (compared to 340,000 sqm in 2024 and 197,000 sqm in 2023); this involved 83,248 inspections and the issuance of 1,703 administrative violation notices, resulting in total fines exceeding 1.6 million euros.
With two months to go before opening, the REAS 2026 trade fair is once again heading towards a sell-out, featuring over 300 Italian and international exhibitors. In the pavilions of the Montichiari exhibition center, visitors will be able to view vehicles and equipment for operations in areas affected by fires and natural disasters, boats and devices for water rescue, special vehicles capable of operating in flooded or earthquake-stricken zones, and drones for aerial monitoring. The event will feature ambulances equipped with life-saving first aid gear, communication systems linking operations centers with emergency responders, technical clothing for personnel, and innovative aids for people with disabilities. An extensive cultural program is also planned, comprising dozens of seminars and conferences, as well as practical demonstrations designed to foster training and professional development for emergency response and civil protection personnel and volunteers.
The REAS trade fair is organized by Centro Fiera Montichiari in partnership with Hannover Fairs International GmbH and the specialized trade fair Interschutz—which takes place every four years, with its next edition scheduled for May 20–25, 2030, in Hannover. Once again, the event enjoys the patronage of numerous institutions, regional authorities, state agencies, and associations within the Italian emergency management system.