Fraternità di Misericordia di Firenzuola is a voluntary association that is part of the Movimento delle Misericordie, founded in Florence in 1244 by Pietro da Verona, later known as San Pietro Martire. Today, the Misericordie are present in Italy and abroad with over 700 confraternities.
History
Misericordia di Firenzuola began its activities in 1946 after the Allies donated a military ambulance at the end of the 2° World War.
In September 1944, Firenzuola was completely destroyed by an Allied bombing carried out to overcome German resistance at a strategic point on the Gothic Line: on that occasion, the Germans – aware of the Allies’ intentions, warned the population in time; with few exceptions, the inhabitants left the town and, fortunately, there were very few deaths. The ambulance donation was an act by the Allies intended to “make amends” for the destruction of the entire town. From that date, the Misericordia began operating with the few resources and limited means available, affiliating with the Confederazione Nazionale delle Misericordie d’Italia until 1972. In that year, the Misericordia was formally established by notarial deed and, throughout all these years, it has grown and gradually become organised and structured thanks to the commitment of the successive Governors and many volunteers.
In 1990, after decades of moving from one location to another, construction of the first headquarters began through a specific agreement with the Municipality, the opening of a public fundraising campaign and the help of many volunteers.
In 2000, work began to expand the headquarters to its current form, again with the help of the institutions, the population and many volunteers, with a total investment of approximately 1 million euros.
In recent years, it received an apartment as a donation and, more recently, purchased a large warehouse for storing vehicles and equipment.
In 2017, it permanently purchased from the Municipality the entire building housing the Misericordia, investing and paying a further 300 thousand euros. In previous years, it had entered into specific agreements with the Municipality, expiring in 2049, to build the headquarters on municipally owned property.
With the start of the high-speed railway works in the late 1990s, it entered into agreements with the local health authority for emergency and urgent medical transport, providing, as it still does today, 1 ambulance with a doctor and one without a doctor H 24 x 365 days a year, a 1* aid station and an out-of-hours medical service station. The Fraternità currently has over 2,200 members and more than 250 active volunteers. It has agreements with SDS del Mugello for transport services to day centres for young people and/or vulnerable older people; an agreement with the same SDS to welcome people involved in Inserimenti Socio Assistenziali e/o Terapeutici; an agreement with Tribunale di Firenze to welcome people required to perform Lavori di Pubblica Utilità, messa alla prova and/or voluntary work.
Activities
- 118 MEDICAL EMERGENCY SERVICE
- SOCIAL AND SOCIAL-HEALTHCARE SERVICES
- SOCIAL-ASSISTANCE AND SOCIAL-THERAPEUTIC PLACEMENTS
- CIVIL PROTECTION
- FIRST AID CLINIC AT ITS HEADQUARTERS
- OUT-OF-HOURS MEDICAL SERVICE
- REMOTE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
- FUNERAL SERVICES
- HOME CARE
- GRUPPO DONATORI DI SANGUE FRATRES
Contacts
Piazza della Misericordia 1, 50033 Firenzuola
Tel. +39055819752