Visit to Department of Civil Protection (DPC), Rome
In October, we were invited to visit the Italian Department of Civil Protection (DPC) in Rome. The Department is responsible for forecasting and prevention programs, funding monitoring systems in relation to natural hazards, and coordinating emergency services (such as fire brigades and armed forces) during times of crisis. It provides the basis from which the response to national emergencies are handled. We were briefed on how emergencies are managed in detail. The National Civil Protection becomes involved when emergencies affect multiple municipalities, for example in the case of earthquakes, volcanic events, large scale flooding or wild fires. Small-scale events instead are managed by local authorities.
We had a tour of the Department building and we visited the emergency management bureau where an officer on duty for each unit (hydric, seismic and volcanic hazard) introduced us to the work of their section. We learnt about the data required and models employed in calculating risk and how this is assimilated and processed to provide risk analysis for events of given magnitudes, often on very short timescales. A number of recent examples were used to illustrate some of the recent accidents faced by DPC. For instance, we were briefed on the contribution of the Civil Protection on the ship rescue of the Costa Condordia, the cruise ship that ran aground off the coast of Tuscany in 2012. The techniques used to monitor volcano activity as well as the emergency practices used in case of unrest were illustrated, with reference to Vesuvius, Campi Flegrei, and Etna examples.
Moreover, we were shown how the Department is currently monitoring the recent activity climaxes at Mount Etna, along with the daily and weekly reports describing the actions taken according to the volcanic phenomena observed. We were also given the opportunity to see the main control room, where decisions are taken, and we were informed on the type of decision-making processes in place in case of national emergencies involving the Civil Protection. The visit was useful to us to see how information taken out from numerical analysis techniques is combined with instrumental measurements and field observations, with the objective of producing a timely and consistent evaluation aimed at practical actions by the Civil Protection, including well-timed evacuation of areas at risk.
