Municipal Emergency Planning. The Strategic Planning Model and the Contribution of Evaluation Tools

The numerous natural disasters that have devastated the Italian territory have ignited a strong political debate on the need to secure the Italian territory, which has now become fragile due to poor management characterized by decades of building abuses and poor choices of urban development. The disastrous phenomena, at the same time, have highlighted the ineffectiveness of the current municipal emergency plans, which did not favor the management of the interventions by the rescuers because of poor risk assessment and planning in the emergency areas ex ante. In part, the issue was tackled by the competent authorities at the highest levels, which have allocated considerable economic resources throughout the national territory for the implementation of risk prevention and mitigation measures. However, this is not enough if the planning of interventions on the territory is not structured according to a strategic approach that takes into account both the real conditions of vulnerability of the territory and the priorities of the mitigation measures required for the effectiveness of the rescue. A new model of emergency planning, equipped with appropriate assessment tools, can therefore be a valuable measure both to ensure the effectiveness of emergency aid in the case of disasters and to address correct governance of the territory.