Fighting fires, Curcio: «The emergency machine works on the island»

Off this morning to the institutional visit to Sardinia for Fabrizio Curcio , head of the National Department of Civil Protection.

With an immediate clarification regarding the absence of a director general of the Civil Protection on the day of the fires which, between 5 and 6 August, devastated the territories between Posada and Siniscola and devoured the countryside of Muravera forcing people to flee from homes and resorts tourists and residents. "The internal organization has not created problems in the operational activities - Curcio clarified -: we are normally connected with the colleagues of the Region and with the commissioner".

Curcio, who arrived in Cagliari around 9 am, was welcomed by the councilor for the defense of the environment, Marco Porcu . After speaking with the press, he then attended an operational meeting in via Vittorio Veneto, the headquarters of the regional civil protection.

«Not a final balance - Curcio said - because we are in the middle of the season, but a work in progress to see if a corrective or an improvement is necessary to conclude the season and look ahead for the next one».

FIRST OF ALL PREVENTION – «We need to make citizens aware that the sooner we intervene, the sooner the event can be contained – added Curcio -. Above all, prevention is a relevant issue for an international phenomenon as demonstrated by the cases of Hawaii and North America". «Not only Sardinia, this year has also been very tough for Sicily and Calabria. The theme of forest fires is all-encompassing as it is linked to climatic and weather conditions. There is a theme of land preparation. And the theme of who starts the fire. The most significant immediate impact is precisely the action of man. This teaches us that we must never let our guard down,” he continued.

NEW MEANS – Among the requests of councilor Porcu " continue to implement the air fleet even with different means and with the allocation of funds that allow for the strategy to be adapted ".

"I must say that Sardinia has the most significant fleet with three Canadairs located in the warmer months - specified the commissioner -. With three other vehicles, fire brigade, aeronautics and army which are added to the regional fleet which is numerically the best equipped in Italy ».

However, the system should be strengthened: «We need to spend even more to be able to prevent as many fires as possible. It is clear that in particular weather and climatic conditions the risk is always high. The strategy becomes more complicated when Sardinia is affected by several events at the same time». In addition to the Canadairs, the commissioner's thoughts go to "an implementation of the fleet with other innovative systems ".

And returning to the absence of the general manager, the councilor for the defense of the environment explains: «I would like to clarify that during the holiday period we still have a general manager, engineer Cerutti , who is present and participates in the management of emergencies . However, the organizational machine continues to function regardless of the choices that concern the top management of the administration».

(Unioneonline/vl)