IT-Alert Testing in Aprilia at 09.00
Italy’s innovative IT-alert system is set to undergo testing in the central Lazio region on Tuesday, 3 December at 09.00. During this time, the public will receive a “test” message on their mobile phones.
Authorities will conduct a simulation of a serious accident at the ACRAF chemical-pharmaceutical plant in Aprilia, located south of Rome. The message will be sent to phones within a 3-km radius of the site.
The purpose of this exercise is to introduce people to the new public alert service, designed to warn of “a major emergency or an imminent or ongoing catastrophic event,” as stated on the IT-Alert website.
In the event of an emergency situation, IT-Alert will provide timely information to potentially affected individuals, with the goal of minimizing individual and collective exposure to danger.
The message sent to cellphones in Lazio on 3 December will have a distinct sound from regular notifications, and the system does not gather any device or location data.
Recipients of the message will only need to read it, with no further action required. The public will also be encouraged to complete a questionnaire linked to the message, which can be used to report any issues.
Although IT-Alert is currently in an experimental phase, once fully operational, it will be utilized by Italy’s civil protection authorities to alert the public about potential emergencies and disasters, such as tsunamis, dam collapses, volcanic activity, nuclear accidents, and more.
The system will also undergo testing in the northern Emilia-Romagna region in the near future.
For detailed information on how the system operates, please visit the IT-Alert website.
