BeSAFE HEAT Training

Be Ready. Be Trained. Operate Safely in Hostile Environments

In today’s world, risk is not optional. Preparation shouldn’t be either.

Whether you’re a journalist reporting from a conflict zone, an independent expert on assignment in unstable areas, an NGO worker operating in high-risk environments, or a company with staff operating abroad, the ability to recognise, manage and mitigate risk is no longer a plus, it’s a necessity.

That’s where BeSAFE HEAT comes in.

BeSAFE HEAT training is officially certified by the European Security and Defence College (ESDC) and proudly delivered in partnership with the Italina Armed Forces, ensuring the highest standards of safety, credibility and operational excellence in hostile environment awareness.

Ready to protect yourself, your mission, and your people?

What is BeSAFE HEAT?

BeSAFE HEAT (Hostile Environment Awareness Training) is an intensive, 5-day certified training programme developed by Fondazione SAFE, combining theoretical and practical classes to prepare individuals for operating safely in high-risk and crisis-prone environments.

Structured according to European standards and implemented in partnership with the Italian Armed Forces, the course delivers the skills and mindset required to work efficiently and safely in hostile contexts – be it a war zone, post-disaster area, or regions with high criminal or political instability.

Why choose a BeSAFE HEAT course?

Because it’s more than a training. It’s an immersive experience that changes the way you see safety, risk and resilience.

  • Elite instructors: a unique mix of on duty military trainers from the Special Forces of the Italian Navy, Army and Airforce, crisis psychologists, and security experts
  • High-impact learning: hands-on practical tools and immersive real-life simulations
  • Accredited by the European Security Defence College: trusted by RAI (Italian national broadcasting), NGOs, and EU mission staff

Who is it for?

Our participants include:

  • Journalists and media professionals operating in conflict zones
  • NGO workers, field operators and project managers deployed in post-crisis contexts
  • Private companies with international branches or field technicians in politically unstable countries
  • Public institutions and EU agencies deploying staff to critical areas

If your mission requires presence in a risky or unpredictable environment, this course is for you.

DURATION
5 days (approx. 40 hours)
LOCATION
Fondazione SAFE HQ (Soave, Verona) & Calvarina Training Area (Roncà, Verona)
STRUCTURE
classroom sessions and group exercises. 60% of the course involves hands-on simulations on the field

Modules include

  • Security awareness

  • Communication systems
  • Navigation and orientation

  • Health and medical skills

  • Checkpoint negotiation and conflict management
  • Mines, UXOs and IEDs
  • Coping after capture, kidnapping and hostage survival
  • Force protection and compound/base security
  • Close protection and convoy security
  • CBRNe threats awareness

Upcoming Dates – 2025 Edition

14–18 July 2025 (course delivered in Italian)

8–12 September 2025 (course delivered in Italian)

Limited seats per session: 15 to 20 participants to ensure effective interaction and personal guidance.

Join the 260+ professionals already trained by SAFE

Since 2021, Fondazione SAFE has delivered over 24 HEAT courses, training more than 260 professionals from RAI, NGOs, EU missions, and the private sector.

Feedback from our trainees confirms it: SAFE’s HEAT programme doesn’t just inform, it transforms.

Testimonials

Being ready makes all the difference.
How many times, before going on a trip, a business trip or a mission, do we hear the words: ‘Be careful!’, ‘Stay in touch!’, ‘Call as soon as you can!’? Valuable recommendations, which take on even more weight when the context in which we operate presents real physical risks.

In these situations, common sense alone is not enough. It requires concrete preparation, careful planning and detailed risk assessment. But above all, it is essential to know how to act: to orient oneself with a compass, to communicate with a radio, to give first aid and to deal with unforeseen situations with lucidity and safety.

HEAT training provides all the practical tools for dealing with high-risk environments. It is not just theory: every scenario, every exercise is based on real cases, narrated by instructors who are not just trainers, but professionals with direct experience in the field – armed forces, in my case air force riflemen, who have operated in war zones, clashes and dangerous events. People with Boots on the Ground, who bring invaluable value to the training.
All this is made possible thanks to the impeccable coordination of the SAFE Foundation, which organised the training with great professionalism and attention to detail. A training experience that goes far beyond training: it is an investment in personal and operational safety.

Angelo B, Consultant and trainer in training and leadership in Saudi Arabia

The course is excellently organised in every aspect, organisational, professional and above all human.

The involvement, also experiential, is of the highest level and highly qualified. I consider it fundamental for any journalist who may find himself in difficult contexts to have attended a course like this, and I am very satisfied with the very high level of preparation of the trainers, useful contacts for the future as well. All the staff at Fondazione SAFE were also particularly attentive to our every need, making the experience unforgettable.

Thank you !

Lucina P, RAI Journalist

I must say I was quite skeptical at the beginning, but this proved to be one of the most interesting and useful trainings I participated.

The information acquired is not only for travelling in possible hostile environments, but also for the daily life.

Very good organisation, and the trainers were fantastic.

I Highly recommend it!

Jacob C, International organisation in Central America

Extremely well-prepared, empathetic and inspiring trainers. They provided us with valuable tools for our work. Professional and helpful SAFE staff.

Perfect organisation!

Highly formative experience. A valuable ‘Added Value’ of our profession.

Maximilian G, RAI Journalist

An intense and enriching experience with quality supervision. Without a doubt, a training to follow if you plan to evolve in so-called risky countries.

Marc B, Law Enforcement in Africa

Ready to protect yourself, your mission, and your people?