IT-alert: industrial accident simulation in Umbria
On November 19, the test will involve the Acciai Speciali Terni S.p.A facility
Testing activities of the national public warning system for major-accident scenarios at industrial facilities continue. On November 19 at 4:40 PM, a test message will be broadcast covering an area of approximately 2 km around Acciai Speciali Terni S.p.A. (TR), a facility subject to the Seveso Directive.
Periodic testing of the IT-alert system is essential to ensure its operational efficiency, verify the coverage of phone cells in the area affected in case of a real emergency, and guarantee the correct implementation of the communication procedures defined in the facility’s external emergency plan.
During the simulation, the message that will be sent to the affected population will read as follows:
TEST TEST This is an IT-alert TEST MESSAGE. There is an ongoing SIMULATION of an accident at an industrial facility in the area where you are. To learn what message you will receive in case of real danger and to fill out the survey, go to www.it-alert.gov.it/en TEST TEST
On test days, the homepage of this website will feature a link to a survey, which residents in the affected areas are encouraged to complete, even if they do not receive any notification.
The test date may be subject to change if regional civil protection systems are activated due to weather alerts or other emergencies.
Major accident means an event such as a significant emission, fire, or explosion due to uncontrolled developments occurring during the operation of an industrial facility classified as a major-accident hazard by Legislative Decree No. 105 of June 26, 2015 - Implementation of Directive 2012/18/UE of the European Parliament and of the Council on the control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances, and which results in an immediate or delayed major hazard for human health and the environment, either inside or outside the facility, and in which one or more hazardous substances are involved.
Each industrial facility must have an External emergency plan (EEP) containing damage mitigation measures outside the facility and an Internal Emergency Plan (IEP), including damage mitigation measures inside the facility.
IT-alert would be activated for possible accident scenarios affecting the facility.
In case of real danger from a major accident at an industrial facility, cell phone users in the areas near the affected facilities will receive such an IT-alert message:
▪ Civil Protection Alert DD/MM/YY at 00:00 - Accident at the XYZ industrial facility involving hazardous substances in the Municipality of XYZ (PROVINCE). FIND INDOOR SHELTER AND DO NOT GO NEAR the facility (E04). Keep up to date and follow the instructions of the authorities.
However, there may be devices present in areas affected by the emergency that will not receive the message. This is caused by one of the limits of cell-broadcast technology: the impossibility of perfectly overlaying the area potentially affected by the emergency with the area covered by the antennas of the telephone operators used to send the messages.