IT-alert, tests on specific risks restart in seven regions

notizia12 settembre 2024

IT-alert, tests on specific risks restart in seven regions

Tests in Emilia-Romagna have been postponed to a future date due to the severe weather emergency in the region.
(Last update September 20, 2024 at 9 a.m.) 

IT-alert generica - evidenza

Starting September 18, regular tests will resume to improve the IT-alert public warning system. From September 18 to October 7, the regions of Basilicata, Calabria, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Piemonte, and Valle D'Aosta, as well as the Autonomous Province of Trento, will be involved in testing scenarios related to major accidents at industrial facilities, the collapse of large dams, and nuclear accidents.

Even though the IT-alert system is operational for the abovementioned scenarios, testing activities will continue periodically. These tests are necessary to check the system, improve its technology, optimize its functionality, and keep the population's attention on the risks they face.

If users receive an IT-alert message with the word "TEST," it means 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

Finally, for the nuclear accident scenario, the notification test will read as follows:

TEST TEST This is an IT-alert TEST MESSAGE. There is an ongoing SIMULATION of a nuclear accident at a plant located in a foreign country with potential repercussions 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.

The notification will arrive on the switched-on and connected cell phones located in the target areas according to the following schedule: 

▪ September 18, 2024
Calabria Region - MAJOR ACCIDENT AT INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES
- 9:00 a.m. - AGN Strongoli (KR)
Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region - MAJOR ACCIDENT AT INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES 
- 10:00 a.m. - Halo Industry - Torviscosa (UD) 

▪ September 25, 2024 (Postponed to a future date)
Emilia-Romagna Region - MAJOR ACCIDENT AT INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES 
- 10:00 a.m. - Yara Italia S.p.a. - Ravenna
- 11:00 a.m. - Marig Esplosivi Industriali S.r.l. - Novafeltria (RN)
- 12:00 p.m. - Yara Italia S.p.a. - Ferrara

▪ September 26, 2024
Autonomous Province of Trento - NUCLEAR ACCIDENT

- 10:00 a.m. - Trento

▪ October 1, 2024 (Postponed to a future date)
Emilia-Romagna Region  - COLLAPSE OF LARGE DAMS
- 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
- 11:00 a.m. - Santa Maria del Taro Dam (PR)
Baiso, Bedonia, Tornolo, Varese Ligure
- 12:00 p.m. - Fontanaluccia Dam (RE)
Castellarano, Frassinoro, Montefiorino, Palagano, Prignano Sul Secchia, Toano, Villa Minozzo

▪ October 2, 2024 (Postponed to a future date)
Emilia-Romagna Region - COLLAPSE OF LARGE DAMS
- ore 10:00 a.m. - Riolunato Dam (MO)
Riolunato, Montecreto, Lama Mocogno, Pavullo Nel Frignano, Sestola, Montese
- ore 11:00 a.m. - Suviana Dam (BO)
Argelato, Bentivoglio, Bologna, Calderara Di Reno, Camugnano, Casalecchio Di Reno, Castel Di Casio, Castel Maggiore, Castello D’Argile, Gaggio Montano, Grizzana Morandi, Marzabotto, Sala Bolognese, San Giorgio Di Piano, Sasso Marconi, Vergato
- ore 12:00 p.m. - Ridracoli Dam (FC)
Bagno Di Romagna, Bertinoro, Civitella Di Romagna, Forlì, Forlimpopoli, Galeata, Meldola, Ravenna, Santa Sofia

▪ October 3, 2024
Piemonte Region - COLLAPSE OF LARGE DAMS

- 11:00 a.m. - Rochemolles Dam (TO)
Alpignano, Avigliana, Bardonecchia, Borgone Susa, Bruzolo, Bussoleno, Buttigliera Alta, Caprie, Caselette, Chianocco, Chiomonte, Chiusa Di San Michele, Condove, Exilles, Giaglione, Gravere, Oulx, Rivoli, Rosta,Salbertrand, San Didero, San Giorio Di Susa, Sant’Ambrogio Di Torino, Sant’Antonino Di Susa, Susa, Vaie, Villar Dora, Villar Focchiardo

▪ October 7, 2024
Valle d’Aosta Region - NUCLEAR ACCIDENT

- 9:00 a.m. - Aosta
Autonomous Province of Trento - COLLAPSE OF LARGE DAMS
- 10:00 a.m. - Pian Palù Dam – Trento
In provincia di Trento: Ala, Aldeno, Avio, Besenello, Caldes, Calliano, Campodenno, Cavizzana, Cis, Cles, Commezzadura, Croviana, Denno, Dimaro-Folgarida, Isera, Lavis, Livo, Malé, Mezzana, Mezzocorona, Mezzolombardo, Mori, Nogaredo, Nomi, Novella, Ossana, Peio, Pellizzano, Pomarolo, Predaia, Roveré della Luna, Rovereto, San Michele all'Adige, Sanzeno, Spormaggiore, Sporminore, Terre d’Adige, Terzolas, Ton, Trento, Vallelaghi, Villa Lagarina, Ville d'Anaunia, Volano.
In provincia di Verona: Albaredo d’Adige, Belfiore, Brentino Belluno, Bussolengo, Cavaion Veronese, Dolcè, Pastrengo, Pescantina, Rivoli Veronese, Ronco dell’Adige, San Giovanni Lupatoto, San Martino Buon Albergo, San Pietro in Cariano, Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella, Verona, Zevio.
Basilicata Region - COLLAPSE OF LARGE DAMS
- 11:00 a.m. - Monte Cotugno Dam
Colobraro, Noepoli, Nova Siri, Policoro, Rotondella, Senise, Tursi, Valsinni

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.

mockup messaggio rischio diga - evidenza

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.

messaggio reale incidente rilevante - evidenza

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. 

"Nuclear accident" refers to any accidental event involving significant consequences in terms of radiation protection or nuclear safety.

There are no operating nuclear plants in Italy. Other countries, however, some of them neighboring Italy, have active nuclear plants for energy production. Therefore, to deal with possible accidents beyond national borders, the National Plan for the management of radiological and nuclear emergencies was adopted, which considers three accident scenarios based on how far the event occurs from national borders.

The scenario considered by the IT-alert national public warning system is the one resulting from a nuclear accident within 200 kilometers from the Italian border, corresponding to the "ALARM" operational phase.

mockup messaggio incidente nucleare

In case of real danger from a nuclear accident, cell phones in the affected municipalities will receive such an IT-alert message:
▪  Civil Protection Alert DD/MM/YY at 00:00 - Alert - Accident at the XYZ nuclear plant (FOREIGN COUNTRY). Possible passage of the radioactive cloud. The evolution of the situation is being closely monitored. 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.