Mesimex 2006 - Discovering Vesuvius: an exhibition to improve risk education in the high volcanic risk area of Vesuvius

Abstract

In the framework of the Community Mechanism for Civil Protection, established by the Council Decision (2001/792/CE) of 23 October 2001, the European Commission has promoted training activities including Major Emergencies Simulation Exercises. The project called “Somma Vesuvius Mesimex- Major Emergency SIMulation Exercise” on volcanic risk has taken place in October 2006 and has been coordinated by the Italian Civil Protection Department. Mesimex’s scenario has dealt with the simulation of the Vesuvius reactivation, from the early warning phase up to the final evacuation of a sample of two thousand people from the area at risk, as established by the Emergency Plan. The exercise has been focused on the preparatory phase. One of the main goal of the exercise was “to spread information about volcanic hazards to schools and among the population, in order to make them aware with the National Emergency Plan for Vesuvius Area”.