Exe Campi Flegrei 2019: institutions and the scientific community meet citizens
The meetings served as an opportunity to present the national exercise and to answer citizen's questions.
In view of the exercise to be held in the Phlegraean Fields area from 16 to 20 October, information meetings with the citizens of the municipalities of Bacoli, Monte di Procida, Pozzuoli and Quarto have been held. The exercise activities will also take place in Naples, Marano di Napoli, and Giugliano in Campania.
The aims of the meetings were to explain to the population what will be tested during the exercise and answer citizens' questions about the volcanic risk at the Phlegraean Fields, the civil protection plan and removal routes.
Representatives of the Civil Protection Department, the Campania Region, the INGV - Vesuvian Observatory and the University of Pisa, the mayors of the municipalities (Josi Della Ragione, Mayor of Bacoli; Giuseppe Pugliese, Mayor of Monte di Procida; Vincenzo Figliolia, Mayor of Pozzuoli; Antonio Sabino, Mayor of Quarto), as well as the citizens of the involved municipalities, attended the event.
Bacoli. The meeting with the population of Bacoli was held on 16 September in the suggestive setting of Parco Vanvitelliano. After an explanation of the activities planned during the exercise and after providing some information on the civil protection plan for the volcanic risk at the Phlegraean Fields, the debate that involved the citizens present in the hall of the Vanvitellian Park was launched.
Several topics were covered such as the road system, the means of transport, the clarifications regarding the different phases of the plan and also the need for further opportunities for debate and information for the population, according to several citizens. Particular interest was also aroused by the twinning system and the destinations in case of activation of the alarm phase.
Monte di Procida. On the afternoon of September 17, in the Council Chamber of the Municipality of Monte di Procida, in addition to institutional representatives and representatives of the scientific community, numerous citizens of different ages took part, from very young students to older people.
Luigi D'Angelo, Director of the Civil Protection Department, in his speech stressed the importance of the involvement of the population for the success of the exercise and the test of the civil protection plan for volcanic risk at the Phlegraean Fields. Francesca Bianco, Director of the Vesuvian Observatory, explained the reasons which determined in 2012 the transition to the yellow alert level and illustrated the scientific progress made for the monitoring of the parameters. Italo Giulivo, Director of Civil Protection of the Campania Region, presented what was foreseen in the plan to remove the population. The Municipality of Monte di Procida will send to the citizens of the area, for which the evacuation will be simulated, a registration form and will provide instructions to citizens about the removal.
Pozzuoli. The meetings ended on September 18 in Pozzuoli and Quarto. In particular, the citizens of Pozzuoli involved in Exe Flegrei 2019, emphasized the Director of Operations for the coordination of emergencies of the Department Luigi D'Angelo, after the removal to the waiting areas will be transferred by buses made available to the Campania Region to the meeting area of the central station of Naples. After arrival at the station will be simulated the departure of a train provided by the Italian National Railways.
Quarto. During the meeting with the population that took place at the headquarters of the Civil Protection in Quarto, one of the pilot projects planned in the framework of the exercise activities was presented to the participants: the participatory planning. The municipality of Quarto has decided to actively involve citizens in view of the exercise through a path that initially consisted in the evaluation of the waiting areas to test their functionality, in particular those located in places with higher population density.
The course involved employers' and trade union organisations, local authorities and civil protection volunteers. After discussions with these stakeholders, requests emerged regarding the exercise, including the need for a census of citizens with special needs for assistance and the creation of detailed information material for the transfer from home to the waiting area. The project of participatory planning has been realized also thanks to the collaboration of the Cima Foundation.