Civil Protection Department

The civil protection in Italy is organized in a "National Service", a complex system that includes all the structures and activities put in place by the state to protect the integrity of life, property, settlements and the environment from damage or the danger of damage resulting from natural disasters, catastrophes and other disasters. The activities of the system are the forecast and prevention of various scenarios of risk, to rescue people and all activities aimed at overcoming the emergency.

Over the years, the responsibility of civil protection has progressively moved from the state to local governments. The main stages in this process have been the legislative decree No. 112 of 1998 and changes to Title V of the Constitution by the Constitutional Law 3 of 18 October 2001. Since then, the civil protection is matter of concurrent legislation, then, except for the determination of the fundamental principles, the legislative power lies with the regional governments.

The Civil Protection Department, which is anchored in the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, directs the activities of components and operational structures of the National Civil Protection Service and in case of declaration of a state of emergency, coordinates, in agreement with the regional governments.