IT-alert: testing of scenarios of major accident at industrial facilities and large dam collapse on December 19 and 20
Regions involved are Apulia, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy and Sardinia
The IT-alert experimentation continues after the technology tests concluded last October 13 involving all Italian Regions and Provinces.
According to the February 7, 2023 Directive, the system can become operational and be used for various risk types if the experimentation is successfully completed.
On December 19 and 20, tests will be conducted in part of the territories of five regions on two specific risks: the collapse of a large dam and a major accident at industrial facilities subject to the Seveso Directive. The activity has a two-fold purpose: to test the use of IT-alerts on small and limited portions of the territory and to take a step forward in the process of familiarization with the national public warning system and allow people to gain more confidence in receiving the message for specific risk scenarios, with text tailored to the risk and the affected site.
December 19 will be focused on the simulation of a major accident at an industrial facility, and the text of the notification that the affected population will receive reads as follows:
TEST TEST This is a TEST MESSAGE from IT-alert. We are SIMULATING an industrial accident in the area where you are. To learn what message you will receive in case of real danger from an industrial accident, go to www.it-alert.gov.it/en TEST TEST
December 20 will be focused on the simulation of a large dam collapse, and the text of the notification that the affected population will receive reads as follows:
TEST TEST This is a TEST MESSAGE from IT-alert. We are SIMULATING a dam collapse in the area where you are. To learn what message you will receive in case of real danger from a dam collapse, go to www.it-alert.gov.it/en TEST TEST
On the IT-alert website, from the homepage, there will be access to a dedicated page where it will be possible to view the text of the message that citizens would receive in case of real danger for that specific risk and the case-specific information.
As in the previous tests, on the homepage and the dedicated page, there will also be a link to the survey that the people in the involved territories will be invited to fill out to help implement the system. Those in the area covered by the test that will not receive any IT-alert notification will still be able to fill it out to report this deficiency. In addition, the tests will be helpful to improve the functionality further and verify the efficiency of emergency communication flows between relevant individuals.
In particular, during the two days, around noon, the test message will arrive on the switched-on and connected cell phones of those in the target areas, identified as below:
December 19, 12 p.m. - Major accident at industrial facilities subject to the Seveso Directive, in the territory within a radius of 2 km from the facility:
• Apulia Region - LyondellBasell Facility, Brindisi
• Veneto Region - FIS - Fabbrica Italiana Sintetici S.p.A., Montecchio Maggiore (VI)
December 20, 12 p.m. - Collapse of large dams
• Emilia-Romagna Region - Conca Dam (Municipalities affected: Misano Adriatico, San Giovanni in Marignano and Cattolica)
• Lombardy Region - Pagnona Dam (Municipalities affected: Premana, Pagnona, Casargo, Sueglio, Valvarrone, Bellano, Dervio)
• Sardinia Region - Nuraghe Arrubiu Dam (Municipalities affected: Orroli, Escalaplano, Goni, Silius, Siurgus Donigala, Ballao, Armungia, Villasalto, San Vito, Villaputzu, Muravera)
Test dates may be subject to change if regional civil protection systems are involved in activities for any ongoing meteo-hydro alerts or emergencies.
For further information, visit www.IT-alert.gov.it/en.