History

L’alluvione di Firenze  del 4 novembre 1966

Civil protection - as an expression of cooperation, solidarity and civic sense - has ancient roots. The history of our country shows that solidarity and voluntary organizations were already engaged in bringing help in case of emergency with medieval religious orders. The need to help and assist the population affected represents the first spontaneous expression of civil protection in Italy.

However, the experience gained in the management of emergencies has shown that an effective action to protect life and the environment requires greater coordination of all the forces in the field and a commitment not only centered on the intervention phase.

From this awareness stems the civil protection as it is known today: a coordinated system of competences able to act and react in case of emergency, but also to put in place targeted actions of forecasting and risk prevention.

Gli effetti del terremoto dell’Irpinia del 23 novembre 1980, che colpì la Campania centrale e la Basilicata centro-settentrionale (Foto del Corpo Nazionale dei Vigili del Fuoco)
Gli effetti del terremoto dell’Irpinia del 23 novembre 1980, che colpì la Campania centrale e la Basilicata centro-settentrionale

Civil protection throughout history: from 1861 to 1991

From the Unification of Italy to the birth of the Civil Protection Department