The fires that have affected several Mediterranean countries in recent weeks have brought attention to an aspect of emergency management that goes beyond the ability to extinguish the flames. While technology now allows sending an alert message to millions of mobile phones in a few seconds, a fundamental question remains: does the recipient of that alert really know how to behave?
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Knowing whether to evacuate or stay at home is indeed only the first step. Equally important is knowing the safest route, where the nearest gathering point is located, and understanding which instructions to follow to avoid hindering the work of rescuers. Communication has thus become an integral part of civil protection, as much as aerial vehicles or teams engaged on the fire front.
Recent emergencies have shown how much these pieces of information can make a difference. In the case of the Los Gallardos fire in Andalusia, according to regional authorities’ reconstructions, some victims abandoned the indicated evacuation route, attempting to reach safety via alternative roads.
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“You must always follow the communications from the competent authorities,” notes Antonio Tortosa, president of the Spanish association Tecnifuego. Most citizens, he explains, do not have the information and monitoring systems used by civil protection, firefighters, and local administrations to assess the evolution of a fire and identify risk areas. It is precisely this availability of data that allows emergency managers to set priorities and delimit the zones to evacuate. For this reason, Tortosa adds, managing a fire requires “fluid communication between citizens and institutions.”
Preparing citizens before the emergency
For experts, the problem is not only about technology but especially about population preparedness. “No one explains where to take your animals; many companies or industrial areas have not developed emergency plans, and most accommodation facilities do not provide this type of information,” notes Antonio Novillo, deputy commander of the firefighters of Alcorcón, Spain, and spokesperson for the Professional Association of Firefighters (APTB).
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