Emergency Preparedness Training and Education in Lombardy Region, Italy: Survey of Supply and Demand

Abstract

This paper reports on a survey of municipalities in the Italian Region of Lombardy. A questionnaire was employed to ascertain the nature, objectives, and user base of emergency preparedness training courses, and also the scope of demand for additional training. It was commissioned by the Lombardy Advanced School of Civil Protection and administered by Ancitel Lombardia, the regional branch of the Italian Association of Municipal Governments. The paper describes the hazard situation in Lombardy, which is Italy’s largest region and one of its most diverse and densely populated. It also delineates the organization of civil protection training and education at the regional level. The questionnaire is described and its results are presented with respect to different sectors of enquiry: emergency planning, the organization of local civil protection services, courses offered, training priorities, nature of the principal trainees and projected role of the regional Advanced School. The results indicate strong future demand for training courses and a large number—nearly 600—of courses that are already offered. They also show a concentration on emergency response, and a secondary emphasis on emergency planning, especially as used to counter natural hazards. Student populations are largely envisaged to be municipal employees and volunteer civil protection workers. The survey reveals that the municipalities look to the Regional Government for support and guidance in the field of civil protection training.