Local Level: General Plan of Civil Protection

LOCAL LEVEL: GENERAL PLAN OF CIVIL PROTECTION

The general plan of Civil Protection is valid for every disasters typology

Situations Centre

The situation centre (CeSi) is an essential Municipal Operations Room aggregation, that operates 24 hours a day, in charge of continuous monitoring. Under the DGR n. 69/R of 2004 CeSi is responsible:

a) about alerts receipt for in place or planned critical situations;

b) for received reports verification and their possible evolution;

c) for the maintenance of a constant information flow with the internal structures that carry out Action Center functions, with the other Regional Civil Protection System components and other actors involved in Civil Protection activities.

CeSi uses many software tools, both in ordinary and emergency, that enable a complete management of all available cartographic and alphanumeric information. The Municipal system management software in particular allows the Municipal system management, detailing, with its localization on the territory, references, resources and facilities. In addition to providing the consultation, CeSi is entitled to keep alive the database in accordance with procedures that define temporally and functionally the update mode. Every information submitted and validated in ordinary represent an important tool for the Organization of different level of complexity.

At the occurrence of natural disasters the CeSi, as collector of information and relations with the other components of the Regional Civil Protection system, realizes to the following activities:

• receives reports, considers the information and organizes the first operational actions based on predetermined procedures;

• actives the operations room officers and serves as a decision support.

The following scheme describes the flow through which the CeSi receives reports of criticality in place or planned.

The warning can be issued by anyone: citizens, public, private.

Remote monitoring tools used in relation to the type of event

Event type / Source / Note
SEISMIC / Geophysics and Volcanology National Institute (INGV)
Department Seismic Room
Prato Foundation Research / Consulting the WEB pages of the INGV allows, after about 20 minutes of the event, to acquire information about a seismic event relating to the location epicenter the and its magnitude, apart from a first intensity measured valuation according to the Mercalli-Cancani-Sieberg (MCS).
Direct checks at the PC Department and at the INGV Seismic are made as a result of reporting by the local authority or in case of phenomenon direct perception.
Provides data for the seismic events identification on the Florentine area, through the seismicity locators network on the region and the localization procedures ongoing improvement for the definition of a possible interpretative model of seismogenic mechanisms in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines.
Hidrographic
Weather / Tuscany Region Functional Center / Tuscan Region through its functional Center makes available, with publication on the website, rainfall levels and water levels in real time trends (falling, down, up) and the indications on developments in weather and the resulting ground effects. The control of such information, already signed by CeSi in the ordinary, is intensified during adverse weather conditions.
Awaiting the Tuscan region activation for the new control system sensors on hydrometric levels, the information is obtained from the functional Center of the Tuscany Region.
Block road network / Municipality / The monitoring is done by accessing the city video surveillance system installed at the SOC and by the supervisor mobility support (project Florence Province –Florence Municipality).
Block highway network / Autostrade Company / The Autostrade Company web pages allow the use of webcams located on the national network. Checking through these tools allows, in addition to the direct control of the weather, the vision in real time about the traffic situation. The information is useful for evaluating the possible effects on the provincial road system. The consultation is supported by direct contacts with the operations room of the SOC highways.
Block
Provincial / regional
(FI PI LI) network / Province / The monitoring is carried out through periodic contact with the SOP, the GSC FIPILI call center and the Highways Society web pages consultation. In foretelling of adverse weather conditions, these contacts are intensified.

Municipal Operations Centre

Municipal Operations Centre is the structure that the Mayor utilizes to direct and coordinate emergency response which also requires the organizations and companies concurrence that are outer the municipal administration. It is organized in support functions (cf. All. 24.) and in specific activity areas that require joint action and different subjects coordination (Crisis Unit).

Crisis Unit

The Municipal Crisis Unit (UdC) is the technical-operational organ used by the Mayor as Municipal Authority of Civil Protection. The UdC consists of facilities/services representatives that contribute to the emergency relief and overcoming, whose components are qualified people with decision-making power delegation who take advantage of their operating structures in order to implement the strategies laid out by the Mayor in the executive power exercise.

The communication about the measures provided by the Mayor is given immediately to the Prefect and to the Regional Council President. The Municipal UdC operates in concert and coordinates itself with the Provincial and Regional UdC.

CRISIS UNIT COMPONENTS

The Crisis Unit, in its full composition, sees the presence of the following subjects:

1. the Mayor or his delegate

2. Responsible for the following Municipal Offices/Departments/Directions or their delegates:

• the Civil Protection

• the Mayor's Office

- The spokesperson for the Mayor and Press Office

- The Management communication channels and the citizens help desk

• General Manager

• Municipal Police

• Social Services

• Education

• Culture and Sport

• New Infrastructures and Mobility

• Technical Services

• Environment

• Finance Resources

• Human Resources

• Information Systems

• Demographic Services

• Metropolitan City

1. Florence health unit
2. Florence Rescued 118
3. Careggi Hospital
4. Meyer University Hospital
5. The provincial Florence Firefighters Command
6. Civil Protection Voluntary association
7. Arno River Basin Authority
8. Development Consortium
9. Public Utility Companies:

• Ataf
• Quadrifoglio
• Publiacqua
• SIlFi
• Sas
• Firenze Parcheggi

12. Prefecture of Florence

13. Civil Florence Protection

14. Other subjects identified by Mayor

UdC meetings are recorded and reported.

Trigger

The UdC is summoned by the Mayor in anticipation or upon the occurrence of any event referred to in art. 2 of Law 225/1992 (18). Activation can be partial or plenary in relation to the event type and/or extension and to the resources available and usable (19)[1].

Resources can be activated:

The Municipal Operations Room (S.O.C.) directly activates the resources and the facilities needed to meet the needs for action. The event originates gradual and different intervention types:

Simple intervention, when it is faced through the operating structures activation in this charge or simply by according with them, without the activation of support functions or additional resources provision. It is managed by the Municipal Operations Room aggregates according with the respect of the competences assigned by law to each facility/operational strength.

Complex intervention, when the event, for its intensity and/or extension, requires the activation of the Municipal Crisis Unit, of the support functions with the use of additional resources to the ones ordinarily used, of the operating accountable structures or when there is a need for a particular connection between them.

Integrative intervention, when the event, for its intensity and extension, exceeds the responsiveness of the Municipality; a supplementary request for intervention to the Florence Province is forwarded through the Provincial Operations Room, in accordance with art. 9 of 67/2003, without prejudice to the LRT Mayor's competence with regard to management and coordination throughout the Municipality.

The Municipal Operations Room intervenes by activating Municipal management leaders/representatives, involved in the various actions necessary to the criticality management and overcoming, as follows:

Florence Municipality Directions - Activations Scheme

Each manager/contact person to whom a special cellular phone was delivered must be traceable at any time or, in the case of delegation to another employee, has to arrange for delivery of the same.

Procedures

General procedures describe the operations to be carried out in relation to specific events, identifying the necessary fittings with internal structures and with other Provincial and Regional System components with the outline of ways to activate resources.

Weather warning system procedures (cf. All. 18) detail the operations to be carried out in relation to the different alert states provided by the Regional Warning System. The procedures create operational data sheets periodically updated from the Civil Protection Service.

Information, Training and Civil Protections knowledge diffusion– Drills

Basic requirement for the proper emergency plan functionality is information and training of those involved in every emergency phase and relating to contingency plan and manners knowledge (Civil Protection culture circulation).

The Civil Protection Service arranges meetings, at least on an annual basis, with the subjects and the structures involved; organizes information and training sessions for the population through decentralised structures (Boroughs, Municipalities, etc.).

The goal is helping to increase the community resilience after an emergency: "Florence devastated by Arno, lives quietly tragic hours – La Nazione of 6 November 1966."

During the year, in order to verify the plan effectiveness, drills are organized in collaboration with decentralized locations (Wards) and Civil Protection System every subject:

• to control functions (internal), designed to test the real procedures functionality in the framework of the relationship between vertices of immediate activation upon emergency;

• with the citizens involvement through the simulation of possible risk scenarios.


Operative Shape: Strategic-Operative connection of Command and Control

Upon the occurrence of the emergency within the Municipality, the Mayor directs the Emergency Services on the Municipality territory and the Rescue Services and Assistance coordination to the population and provides the necessary actions giving immediate notice to the Prefect, to the Province President and to the Regional Council President (cf. L225/1992). This coordination normally is concretely exercised starting with the Municipal Crisis Unit (UdC) trigger and the establishment. The coordination is then divided into two areas:

• strategic areacentered in UdC, chaired by the Mayor or his designee. It identifies priorities, manages and coordinates interventions through the Municipal Operations Room (SOC.);
• work area coordinated by Civil Protection Officer, which translates the strategic directions operationally. The operational coordination is exercised through the SOC.

Municipal Operation Center (COC )

The Municipal Center is located in Florence – Via dell’ Olmatello n. 25. It is located in a safe area, with low-falling seismic vulnerability and can be reached through different roads suitable also for the heavy vehicles transit.

The area is equipped with a parking inside the venue and close to it (used by Mercafir until now). Essential facilities (restrooms, heating and air conditioning) and technological networks (electricity network and generator, fixed telephone network, internet connection redundancy - RTRT-Adsl backup - satellite connection, Server and DR of Florence Civil Protection Municipality) are also present.

There is also an alternative system of communication via voip with the Province and Prefecture Operations Room on a dedicated and independent channel. Civil Protection is equipped with a radio system with municipal area coverage and it is also possible to enable more radio links available by the Florence TLC Association. In the centre there are internet connected workstations and both paper and digital format data base.

Decentralized Operation Coordination Offices (COM)

In emergency situations involving a large number of Municipalities or that are characterised by a particularly intense, sub-provincial offices are established between the organizational structure of Provincial level and Municipalities: COM (Joint Operations Centre).

The COM registered municipalities has been unanimously identified from all interested parties on a proposal from the Florence Province, the Florence Prefecture and the Tuscany Region and ratified through the signing of the "Agreement for the identification of Municipalities home to COM” on

July 14 2003, modified by the Provincial Civil Protection Plan that has included the town of Vaglia between the Municipalities belonging to the COM of Florence:

Emergency trigger, COM is decided by the Provincial Crisis Unit.

Command and Control Direction (DiComaC)

The DiComaC is the Central State coordination structure – Civil Protection Department – for events of type C through which it carries out coordination and Emergency Response System on the assisted territory following the Declaration of a State of Emergency by the Ministers Council Presidency.

This structure is set up by the Civil Protection Department in agreement with the regional government and is structured to support functions. The venue will be identified taking into account the seismic hazard and hydraulics parameters.

Emergency Areas

In this part of the plan are identified the areas for the emergency management. These are areas concern:

• hold "discoveries"- Seismic hazard
• hold "stop" - Seismic hazard
• Shelter population structures
• Crowding rescuers and resources.
• Helicopter landing pad

The " population Shelter structures" are very important. These are public facilities as school buildings and sports facilities, generally placed in "safe place" in relation to the possibility of being affected by the event, featuring essential services (electricity, water supply, heating, toilet, telephone network etc.): temporary housing that meets the affected population needs.

Shelter facilities are ready to use, equipped for hosting people up to 4 hours after the accident; managed by Civil Protection Service together to volunteer. The areas/facilities will be defined in each floor depending on the type of event.

Helper Functions

The functions have been identified according to the Augustus Method and fitting instructions present in the operational Tuscany Region plan. Each function is connected with the one of the top level structure (COM – CCS).

Helper functions Trigger vary with the risk, and for the Florence historical and cultural characteristics will be always activated the functions relating to the cultural heritage and connection with consular authorities.

During non-emergency, those responsible for the components of the individual functions or their delegates qualified decision maker establish every element (forms, databases ...) to be used in an emergency to work properly in the same function within the COC function. The Coordinator is responsible for ensuring the upgrade of every document related to the function itself, making sure those responsible to fulfil its mission. During the emergency the Coordinator ensures the proper functioning of every function component. The Civil Protection Service Manager updates, with its determine, its annexes-data sheets, where this plan refers.

During the events or in their anticipation, the functions can be combined, reduced or implemented according to operational requirements related to the emergency management.

The functions are divided into:

• Function 1 Technique and Planning
• Function 2 Healthcare, Social and Veterinary Assistance
• Function 3 Communication and Information
• Function 4 Volunteering
• Function 5 Material and Vehicles
• Function 6 Transport, traffic and road conditions
• Function 7 Telecommunications and information technology
• Function 8 Essential Services, Damage Assessment and Census
• Function 9 Coordination Operating Forces Structures
• Function 10 Assistance to the Population and School Activity
• Function 11 Administrative

EARTHQUAKES local procedures: Activation of RESCUE Operational Phase

Following significant seismic event the Mayor convenes the Crisis Unit at the headquarters in Florence, and decides on the activation of the COC and related functions. The Crisis Unit can be, at the decision of the Mayor, integrated at any time.

All operators of the Civil Protection Service are called to service and must report immediately to the COC in the operational headquarters. In case of non-operation of telephone networks, there is still an obligation for operators to reach the COC from the moment they become aware of the earthquake.

The most important hours are the first 72:

The step 1) describes the activities that the functions should be put in place from the beginning of the emergency are described.

The step 2) describes the activities that the functions must be implemented for the remaining period until the end of the emergency.

STEP 1) first 72 hours

Functions / Actions
UdC / Immediate information from the scientific structure on the magnitude and location of the earthquake
Immediate information to the people on the earthquake through media
The Mayor calls for the immediate get into service of municipal employees useful to face the event with the following priorities:
• Municipal police
• Technical Services
• Administrative
• Functions to Support
F3 / Activation of the call center at the COC by the Technical Services and by the Press Office
F6-F8 / Provision of immediate inspections for bridge stability, underpasses, viaducts and Municipal Police teams preparing for closure
F1-F8 / Immediate preparation of the verification status of schools and start relief efforts at schools and hospitals
F11 / Based on the initial information received, requested predisposition, signed by the Mayor, the recognition of the state of emergency to be sent to the Prefect and the President of the Regional Council
F1-F4 / Preparation opening rescuers areas and resources
Activation of volunteers sending them to the waiting areas providing the first information to population
F1-F10-F8 / Preparation of the opening of the assistance centers for population
F4 / Preparation of the opening of the support areas for population
F9 / Organization and closure of lanes allocated to waiting areas "stop"
F5- F11 / Preparation of documents for the purchase of basic necessities
COC / Support to the decentralized structures of the districts (if they are operational) to receive requests from citizens
F1-F8 / Starting and coordinating inspections with MIBAC-VVF (Ministry of Heritage and Cultural Activities Department of the Firemen)
F1-F8 / Sending request to the National Technical Unit (NTN) to survey damage and assessment usability of buildings (Cabinet Decree of 8 July 2014)
F4 / Organization of teams of volunteers to be sent to support the neighborhoods with basic necessities
F3 / Information to the population, every hour, and continuous liaison with the media
COC / Report of the Head of Civil Protection UDC-Mayor, hourly, on the basis of the information provided by Functions
F2 / Enabling a macro-emergencies plan of ASL (Local Health Units)
F2 / Structuring the advanced medical trailer and coordination teams with ASL (Local Health Units)
F1-F2-F4 / Organization for sending special rescue teams for supporting the not self-sufficient and vulnerable people in collaboration with teams of volunteers
F2-F11-F5-F9 / Provision of the opening of pharmacies and the maintenance of its stocks
F8 / Assessment of the state of essential services with priority given to water supply, electricity and gas
F1 – F8 / Organization of meetings at the end of each day to organize activities related to the census damage for the next day
F10-F11 / Providing meals to the population
F4-F5 / Mounting boot tent city in stadiums
F8 / Restoration and monitoring services as radio and telephone
F4-F5 / Organization of teams in camps areas
F1 / Definition of uninhabitable areas and delimitation of the red zone (totally prohibited)
F9 / Predisposition of anti profiteering actions

STEP 2) following hours to the entire period