IT-alert: last 2024 tests in Emilia-Romagna and Lazio
From December 3 to 11, periodic tests continue, including those in Emilia-Romagna postponed due to last September's severe weather
The public warning system is tested periodically to ensure its functionality, enhance technology, and maintain public awareness of potential risks.
Beginning December 3, 2024, the regions of Lazio and Emilia-Romagna will participate in simulations of major accidents at industrial facilities and the collapse of large dams. Specifically, Emilia-Romagna will carry out some tests initially planned but postponed due to the severe weather emergency in September.
The notification will arrive on the switched-on and connected cell phones located in the target areas according to the following schedule:
December 3, 2024 - MAJOR INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT
Lazio Region
9:00 a.m. - A.C.R.A.F. facility - Aprilia (LT)
Emilia-Romagna Region
10:00 a.m. - Yara Italia Spa, Ravenna
11:00 a.m. - Marig Esplosivi Industriali S.r.l., Novafeltria (RN)
12:00 p.m. - Yara, Ferrara (FE)
December 5, 2024 - COLLAPSE OF LARGE DAMS
Emilia-Romagna Region
10:00 a.m. - Mignano Dam (PC)
Alseno, Besenzone, Castell'Arquato, Cortemaggiore, Fiorenzuola D'Arda, Lugagnano Val D'Arda, San Pietro In Cerro, Vernasca, Villanova Sull'Arda
12:00 p.m. - Santa Maria del Taro Dam (PR)
Bedonia, Tornolo, Varese Ligure
December 9, 2024 - COLLAPSE OF LARGE DAMS
Emilia-Romagna Region
10 a.m. - Fontanaluccia Dam (RE)
Baiso, Castellarano, Frassinoro, Montefiorino, Palagano, Prignano Sul Secchia, Toano, Villa Minozzo
12:00 p.m. - Riolunato Dam (MO)
Riolunato, Montecreto, Lama Mocogno, Pavullo Nel Frignano, Sestola, Montese
December 11, 2024
Emilia-Romagna Region
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT
10 a.m. - Brenntag Spa, Bentivoglio (BO)
COLLAPSE OF LARGE DAMS
12:00 p.m. - Ridracoli Dam (FC)
Bagno Di Romagna, Bertinoro, Civitella Di Romagna, Forlì, Forlimpopoli, Galeata, Meldola, Ravenna, Santa Sofia
Users will receive an IT-alert message with the word "TEST," repeated twice, indicating that a verification of the system's functionality is in progress. This is necessary to ensure that messages will be sent from the phone cells and received by the devices in the target areas during a real emergency.
For the scenario of major accidents at industrial facilities, the notification text that the affected population will receive 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
For the collapse of large dams scenario, the notification test will read as follows:
TEST TEST This is an IT-alert TEST MESSAGE. There is an ongoing SIMULATION of a dam collapse 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
During the testing period, a dedicated page will be accessible from the website's homepage. This page will display the message that citizens would receive in case of a real emergency and a link to a survey that people in the affected areas will be asked to complete, even if they do not receive any IT-alert notifications.
Test dates may be subject to change if regional civil protection systems are involved in activities for any ongoing meteo-hydro alerts or 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.
"Collapse of a large dam" refers to the collapse of the dam structure itself or the occurrence of damages to the dam or landslides that lead to the uncontrolled release of water, such as to reasonably assume the occurrence of a catastrophic event, which generally causes a flood wave and the subsequent flooding of downstream areas. Large dams are regulated by the Directive of the President of the Council of Ministers of July 8, 2014, on "Operational guidelines concerning civil protection activities within basins where large dams are present."
When a risk related to the structural strength of a large dam occurs, it is referred to as "dam risk," which entails four alert phases (pre-alert, reinforced alert, danger, and collapse).
Each dam is required to have a Civil Protection Document (DP), which defines the specific conditions for the activation of the civil protection system, communications, and technical-administrative procedures to be implemented in case of risk, and a Dam Emergency Plan (DEP), which outlines the areas potentially affected by the flood wave, operational strategies, and the intervention model to face the emergency.
IT-alert would be activated in case of collapse of a large dam, that is, a retaining structure exceeding 15 meters in height or resulting in a reservoir volume exceeding 1,000,000 cubic meters.
In case of real danger from a large dam collapse, cell phones in the municipalities potentially affected by the flood wave will receive such an IT-alert message:
▪ Civil Protection Alert DD/MM/YY at 00:00 - XYZ DAM COLLAPSE in the Municipality of XYZ (PROVINCE): possible flash flood. STAY AWAY FROM WATERCOURSES and reach high areas. 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.