Outputs of the CROSSIT SAFER Project: Research and Cooperation to Manage Natural Hazards ^†

Abstract

The cooperation between the civil protection organizations of conterminous administrations is fundamental because natural hazards do not stop at borders. Natural hazards, such as wildland fires, are prominent threats to human lives and activities, and they put civil protection organizations under stress when they occur. These organizations have for long been preparing protocols and procedures to face these hazards. Nonetheless, this expertise is not always shared between the administrations. Bureaucratic barriers, different languages and the accessibility of the information can reduce the coordination before and during an emergency. In most cases, the personal goodwill of the operators solves the problems, but a formal agreement is preferable. A useful agreement should facilitate exchanges between the civil protection organizations and foster research in natural hazards management. Common exercises, harmonization of procedures and protocols, and applied research on risk assessment and planning are the tools to level up different organizations. This effort is of particular importance during wildland fires and across international borders. The CROSSIT SAFER Project, part of Interreg V-A Italia-Slovenija, aims at reinforcing the cooperation among project partners. Nine partners located along the border between Italy and Slovenia joined to make the area more secure against natural hazards, with a focus on wildland fires and interface fires. The coordination between all partners is mandatory in the specific area due to the presence of an international border and the susceptibility of the area to natural hazards, including wildland fires. The project strengthened the bounds between the civil protection organizations, and it will yield new procedures and protocols to manage natural hazards. Thanks to the common exercises, the signature of a formal protocol of agreement and the enhancement of procedures to assess, map and observe natural hazards, the area will become more secure. The results will be of help to local administrators and to the civil protection organizations involved.