Visit by the American delegation

 This morning, a delegation from the American National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, accompanied by representatives from the Italian Defence staff, visited the operating units of the Civil Protection Department.
The delegates of the Agency were shown the methods of map and geospatial data exchange nationally and throughout Europe according to INSPIRE standards and the GMES programme.
The main purpose of the visit by the two representatives from the Agency, sent by the American government, was to get to know our civil protection system also in the management of major events.

The guests were illustrated the activities carried out by the Civil Protection National Service by Fabrizio Curcio, Manager of the Emergency Management Office, who described in detail the methods for implementing emergency procedures, while Giovanni Menduni, Manager of the Natural Risks Office, led the delegates on a visit of the Central Functional Centre, showing them the forecasting and prevention methods for natural risks.

The delegates visited the Sala Situazione Italia (National Operations Room), where representatives from the Civil Protection Department, the Fire Department, the Armed Forces, the State Police, the Carabinieri (the Italian gendarmerie), the Guardia di Finanza, Forestry Corps and the Port Authorities are present 24/7. In the event of a national emergency, the units in the Room are joined by the other bodies of the Italian System and components of the Civil Protection.

Lastly, the delegation visited the Centro Operativo Aereo Unificato – COAU (unified air operations centre), where national forest fire fighting operations are coordinated, using the State air fleet, and the Centro Operativo per le Emergenze Marittime – COEMM (Operations centre for Maritime emergencies), where activities are coordinated for sea pollution, for decontamination and salvage of flotsam and jetsam, sea rescue and civil protection of naval units assigned by other State administrations.