**3.4 The Italian civil protection strategy for the management of the 2020 crisis**

The coordination of the members of the National Service of Civil Protection is happening according to the provisions of the Augustus Method thanks to the synchronism of the representatives of each operational function (Health, Volunteering, Telecommunications, etc..) to interact directly with each other.

The intervention model adopted by civil protection for the management of the epidemiological emergency [31] based on the definition of the chain of command and control, the communication flow and the procedures to be activated in relation to the emergency state determined by the spread of the pandemic.

The chain of command and control includes the following levels of coordination:


• Municipal level: in the municipalities or areas in which at least one person is positive for whom the source of transmission is unknown or in any case where there is a case not attributable to a person from an area already affected by the aforementioned virus, as provided by art. 1 paragraph 1 of Decree-Law no. 6 of 23.02.2020, the Mayor or his delegate provides for the activation of the Municipal Operations Centre - COC of the municipality involved and neighboring municipalities in order to implement possible preventive actions.

Therefore, in order to cope with the pandemic and in accordance with the provisions of the Augustus Method, collaborative decision-making processes have been initiated in real time in the operational rooms of the various levels such as:


The CCS is the main body at provincial level and is chaired by the Prefect or his delegate. By COC is meant the Municipal Operations Centre, responsible for the activities at municipal-local level, whose maximum point of reference is the Mayor or his delegate (Law 225/1992 - Art. 15). Finally, the COM is the Mixed Operations Centre. They can be more than one and set up ad hoc to be as close as possible to the place of the event.

Originally established as emergency operational centres (i.e. support and operational coordination structures set up and organized exclusively in the full management phase of the emergency following catastrophic events), over time the term has moved to a broader interpretation of the term which also involves structures and organizational divisions of one or more local administrations in the construction of the local civil protection system as well as emergency planning activities to be carried out in ordinary time.

In this emergency caused by the pandemic, a key role is played by the COC, which have been activated in many Italian municipalities [32].

Specifically, the Mayor makes use of the COC to ensure the direction and coordination of rescue and assistance services to the population within his municipal territory in relation to the declaration of the state of emergency issued by the Italian Government. The choice of the location of this Centre must be in earthquake-proof structures, in areas with easy access and not vulnerable to any kind of risk. These facilities must be equipped with a square of enough size to accommodate heavy vehicles and anything else needed in a state of emergency. The COC is responsible for the decision-making levels of the entire municipal structure, summarized in the trade union responsibilities referred to in the previous paragraphs; as a rule, the decision-making level is taken by the Mayor who, through a municipal civil protection system, identifies the actions and strategies necessary to try to keep the infection curve and morbidity index under control. The COC operates in a place of coordination called "operations room" where all the news related to the event converge and where decisions are taken to overcome it. In many municipalities, the COC has been activated by the Mayor as an immediate consequence of the increase in infections within the national territory, and not necessarily in the municipal one, and it will remain operational until the resolution of the pandemic crisis [33].

According to the Civil Protection Operational Measures for the management of the epidemiological emergency [31] actions and operational measures

**237**

*Italian Crisis Management in 2020*

above

ment measures

resource management.

to relations with the various suppliers.

suppliers. Some strategic approaches may be:

**4. Conclusion**

complexity.

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94894*

• information to the population

urgent measures of containment

issued by the Ministry of Health, are as follows:

identified for each level of coordination, without prejudice to the provisions

• activation of local volunteering, in connection with the levels of coordination

• organization of actions at the municipal level, in connection with the regional and provincial level, actions to ensure the continuity of essential services, as well as the collection of waste in areas affected, or that may be affected, by

• organization of actions at the municipal level, in connection with what has been prepared at the regional level, actions aimed at ensuring the continuity of the supply of basic necessities (including fuel supplies) in the areas concerned,

• planning, or possible activation, of the actions of assistance to the population of the municipalities concerned, or that could be affected by urgent contain-

• planning and organization of home care services for persons in home quarantine (e.g., basic necessities, medicines, pre-packaged meals…), possibly carried

At this point, it can be stated that the success of a civil protection operation can be achieved if three parameters are satisfied: coordination, communication, and

As with any crisis management strategy, resilience strategies must be planned and prepared during the "peace" period and then implemented, appropriately adapted, during crisis situations. The variable structure, and a proactive response, is what succeeds in giving us a continuity and dealing successfully with the

Labor shortages directly affected all those sectors that had to close due to the impossibility to convert their business using smart working. Some activities, although part of sectors not directly involved in the lockdown, were indirectly affected by labor shortages caused by the inability of seasonal and commuting staff to move. Finally, the indirect repercussions that have affected those activities that, while remaining operational, have suffered significant economic repercussions due to the interruption of their supply chain caused by the shortage of labor in other sectors. To be considered in the degree of dependence that an organization might have on its suppliers, beyond its intrinsic resilience, is the degree of flexibility applicable

To plan the SCCM it will be necessary to carry out Impact Analysis activities with the individual suppliers involved, distinguishing critical suppliers from non-critical suppliers. For all relationships with critical suppliers continuity can be determined by identifying a SCCM strategy to be agreed transparently with these

out by personnel of volunteer organizations, appropriately trained.

or that could be affected by urgent containment measures;

*Issues on Risk Analysis for Critical Infrastructure Protection*

• Municipal level: in the municipalities or areas in which at least one person is positive for whom the source of transmission is unknown or in any case where there is a case not attributable to a person from an area already affected by the aforementioned virus, as provided by art. 1 paragraph 1 of Decree-Law no. 6 of 23.02.2020, the Mayor or his delegate provides for the activation of the Municipal Operations Centre - COC of the municipality involved and neighboring municipalities in order to implement possible preventive actions.

Therefore, in order to cope with the pandemic and in accordance with the provisions of the Augustus Method, collaborative decision-making processes have been

The CCS is the main body at provincial level and is chaired by the Prefect or his delegate. By COC is meant the Municipal Operations Centre, responsible for the activities at municipal-local level, whose maximum point of reference is the Mayor or his delegate (Law 225/1992 - Art. 15). Finally, the COM is the Mixed Operations Centre. They can be more than one and set up ad hoc to be as close as possible to the

Originally established as emergency operational centres (i.e. support and operational coordination structures set up and organized exclusively in the full management phase of the emergency following catastrophic events), over time the term has moved to a broader interpretation of the term which also involves structures and organizational divisions of one or more local administrations in the construction of the local civil protection system as well as emergency planning activities to be

In this emergency caused by the pandemic, a key role is played by the COC,

Specifically, the Mayor makes use of the COC to ensure the direction and coordination of rescue and assistance services to the population within his municipal territory in relation to the declaration of the state of emergency issued by the Italian Government. The choice of the location of this Centre must be in earthquake-proof structures, in areas with easy access and not vulnerable to any kind of risk. These facilities must be equipped with a square of enough size to accommodate heavy vehicles and anything else needed in a state of emergency. The COC is responsible for the decision-making levels of the entire municipal structure, summarized in the trade union responsibilities referred to in the previous paragraphs; as a rule, the decision-making level is taken by the Mayor who, through a municipal civil protection system, identifies the actions and strategies necessary to try to keep the infection curve and morbidity index under control. The COC operates in a place of coordination called "operations room" where all the news related to the event converge and where decisions are taken to overcome it. In many municipalities, the COC has been activated by the Mayor as an immediate consequence of the increase in infections within the national territory, and not necessarily in the municipal one, and it will remain operational until the resolution

According to the Civil Protection Operational Measures for the management of the epidemiological emergency [31] actions and operational measures

which have been activated in many Italian municipalities [32].

initiated in real time in the operational rooms of the various levels such as:

• Centro Operativo Comunale (COC) - Municipal Operations Centre

• Centro Operativo Misto (COM) - Mixed Operations Centre.

• Centro Coordinamento dei Soccorsi (CCS) - Rescue Coordination Centre

**236**

place of the event.

carried out in ordinary time.

of the pandemic crisis [33].

identified for each level of coordination, without prejudice to the provisions issued by the Ministry of Health, are as follows:


At this point, it can be stated that the success of a civil protection operation can be achieved if three parameters are satisfied: coordination, communication, and resource management.
