Civil Protection Department

Calabria 2011: second day

Today 26 November, the simulation exercise of "Calabria 2011" will be held: a strong earthquake will be simulated to test the response capacity on Calabria territory to this kind of emergency.

In particular, the exercise aims at assessing the effectiveness of communications and activation procedures of emergency coordination from peripheral to central level. Moreover, activities carried out on the territory will test the response capacity to the event.

Activities in Calabria
The Head of Department Franco Gabrielli followed closely some operating scenario, held in the finìve provinces.
The day was opened in Scilla, province of Reggio Calabria, where an intervention scenario was simulated in order to verify timeliness and coordination capacity of the involved forces - in agreement with the Rescue Coordination Centre - while verifying a viaduct, that can be subject to material detachment.

The Head of Department reached then Germaneto, in the premises of the Operating Room of Calabria Region, where the Dicomac was activated - and got connected with the Operating Room of the Civil Protection Department, where the Operating Committee gathered. The exercise was also an occasion to test the efficiency of communication systems.
In Germaneto the Head of Department followed also the training activities of volunteers, engaged in setting up tents for a reception area.

A survey in the village of Marano Marchesato followed. A reception area was set up in the area. People with disabilities carried out an evacuation test and were also involved in filling up a census of fragile people (elderly people or physically impaired) or with disabilities. They file up a "File of classification of functions, disabilities, and health of people for temporary lodging during emergencies". Two other project were tested for an IT census of people and materials.

The Head of Department, before going back to Rome and close the Operating Committee, reached the operating scenario in Crotone where an airport medical post and an a hoarding zone in a PIP area (plan for production settlements) had been set up.

Activities of the Operating Committee
The Operating Committee gathered at central level in the Civil Protection Department, in order to assess intervention strategies ans guarantee a coordinated employment of national resources.

In the morning, representatives of the components and national operating structures worked to plan and carry out interventions undern their expertise, according to the 3 December 2008 directive "Operating addresses for emergency management". The simulation of unexpected events and complex scenarios allowed to verify procedures and activation mechanisms, thatr, most of the time, requested the shared participation of each actor.

At 3.30 p.m. the Head of the Civil Protection Department chaired the closing meeting of the Operating Committee for an analysis of carried out activities on the territory and at national level. Franco Gabrielli underlined the strong motivation and committment of all components and operating structures activated during the exercise, an important occasion to share good practices and, above all, to detect those aspects that need to be improve: they will constitute the work that will be carried out during the next few months.