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Emergency preparedness in Italy: the official guidance

Italy warns by IT-alert cell broadcast, gives iodine only on official order, has no public shelters and sets no stock duration. Verified 2026-10-20.

Updated 2026-10-20· 9 official sources· Leggi in italiano

Italy at a glance

updated 2026-10-20
SuppliesItaly's Civil Protection Department (Io non rischio campaign) gives no official stockpile duration and no quantities.sourcedPublic sheltersItaly publishes no public shelter network for the population.not publishedAlertsIT-alert is Italy's national public warning system, run by the Civil Protection Department and sent by cell broadcast to all phones in the affected area, with no app needed.sourcedIodineItaly has no nuclear power plants in operation but plans for accidents at plants in France, Switzerland, Germany and Slovenia within 200 km of the border.sourcedPrivate shelterItaly publishes no specific permit, declaration or legal obligation for private shelters, and no official guidance on building one.not published
Shelter standardsItaly has no published technical standard or approval scheme for civil-defence shelters.not published
Emergency numbers112 is the European single emergency number, active in 16 regions through 24 central answering points (CUR); the national numbers 113 (Police), 115 (Fire brigade) and 118 (medical emergency) also remain in use.sourced
Crisis bookletThe official preparedness campaign is 'Io non rischio' by the Civil Protection Department, with volunteer organisations, INGV and others.sourced
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Short answer. Italy's Civil Protection Department asks households to keep water and food at home and to prepare an emergency kit, but sets no number of days or quantities 12. Warnings arrive by IT-alert cell broadcast, with no app needed 4. Potassium iodide tablets are handed out only on the authorities' order 37. Italy publishes no public shelter network 3. Information verified on 2026-10-20.

Who is responsible for civil protection in Italy?

The Dipartimento della Protezione Civile (Civil Protection Department) leads civil protection nationally. Prefetture (the State's provincial offices) and Comuni (municipalities) act at local level 23. The Department runs the official preparedness campaign "Io non rischio" ("I don't take risks") with volunteer organisations, INGV and others, and operates IT-alert, the national public warning system 24.

The campaign's main reference document is the "Sfogliabile multirischio" booklet (2025 edition), which covers earthquake, tsunami, flood, wildfire, volcanoes and IT-alert; the iononrischio.gov.it website adds pages on industrial, nuclear and dam risks 213.

What does each Italy page cover?

Page In one line
Emergency supplies Keep water and food at home; no official duration or quantities 21
Official kit list The example items Civil Protection names: documents, first-aid kit, torch, battery radio 1
IT-alert and sirens Cell broadcast to every phone in the area, no app; local sirens on Stromboli 452
Iodine tablets From the national stockpile, only on official order; do not buy in advance 37
Public shelters No public shelter network; shelter indoors, about 48 hours in a nuclear emergency 3
Building a shelter No specific permit, obligation or official guidance published
Emergency numbers 112 where activated; 113, 115 and 118 still in use 289

How long should an Italian household be able to hold out?

Italy does not say. The official list is explicitly a set of examples ("ad esempio"), and no number of days, litres per person or food quantity is published at national level 12. Civil Protection simply asks households to keep water and food in stock 2. For figures used by other agencies, see How much water to store per person per day? and What goes in a 72-hour emergency kit?.

How will I be warned?

By IT-alert, which reaches all phones in the affected area by cell broadcast, without any app 4. Since 13 February 2024 it has been operational for nuclear or radiological emergencies, major industrial accidents, the collapse of a large dam and volcanic activity at Campi Flegrei, Vesuvius and Vulcano 5. Italy has no national siren network; local sirens exist, for example on Stromboli 2. Full details: alerts page.

What about a nuclear accident abroad?

Italy has no nuclear power plants in operation but plans for accidents at plants within 200 km of its border, in France, Switzerland, Germany and Slovenia 367. The main measure is sheltering indoors, for about 48 hours as a guide 3, and iodine tablets distributed under prefecture plans if the authorities decide so 7. See Iodine tablets in Italy and How far do emergency zones around nuclear plants extend?.

Where do I start?

  1. Build a home stock of water and food and the example kit.
  2. Check that your phone receives IT-alert; messages starting with "TEST" need no action 4.
  3. Read your Comune's civil protection plan to find the waiting areas near you 12.
  4. Note the emergency numbers and make a plan: How do I make a family emergency plan?

Frequently asked questions

Does Italy say how many days of supplies to keep?

No. Civil Protection asks households to keep water and food in stock but publishes no duration or quantities 21.

Do I need an app to receive IT-alert?

No. IT-alert uses cell broadcast, so no app needs to be downloaded 4.

Are there public nuclear shelters in Italy?

No public shelter network is published. In a nuclear emergency, the instruction is to shelter indoors in ordinary buildings 3.

When was this information checked?

All facts on these pages were verified against official sources on 2026-10-20.

Sources

  1. Dipartimento della Protezione Civile (Io non rischio) — Cosa fare - Terremoto — https://www.iononrischio.gov.it/it/preparati/terremoto/cosa-fare/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
  2. Dipartimento della Protezione Civile — Io non rischio - Sfogliabile multirischio (© 2025 DPC) — https://eventi.protezionecivile.gov.it/static/c2828dd8a06a45e69e3be33238647783/sfogliabile-multirischio-inr_0.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
  3. Dipartimento della Protezione Civile (Io non rischio) — Cosa fare - Radiologico e nucleare — https://www.iononrischio.gov.it/it/preparati/nucleare/cosa-fare/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
  4. Dipartimento della Protezione Civile — Come funziona | IT Alert — https://www.it-alert.gov.it/it/come-funziona/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
  5. Dipartimento della Protezione Civile — Quando si usa | IT Alert — https://www.it-alert.gov.it/it/quando-si-usa/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
  6. Dipartimento della Protezione Civile (Io non rischio) — Cosa sapere - Radiologico e nucleare — https://www.iononrischio.gov.it/it/preparati/nucleare/cosa-sapere/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
  7. Dipartimento della Protezione Civile (published by Prefettura - UTG) — Piano nazionale per la gestione delle emergenze radiologiche e nucleari - Appendice 13. Procedura per l'attivazione e l'attuazione della misura di iodoprofilassi (versione 1.21, 9 marzo 2022) — https://prefettura.interno.gov.it/sites/default/files/83/2024-09/all.04-procedura-di-iodoprofilassi_0.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
  8. Provincia autonoma di Trento — NUE 112 - Numero Unico Europeo per le chiamate di emergenza — https://www.provincia.tn.it/Servizi/NUE-112-Numero-Unico-Europeo-per-le-chiamate-di-emergenza (accessed 2026-10-20)
  9. Regione Piemonte — Numero di emergenza unico europeo 112 — https://www.regione.piemonte.it/web/temi/sanita/accesso-ai-servizi-sanitari/numero-emergenza-unico-europeo-112 (accessed 2026-10-20)

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Sources

  1. Dipartimento della Protezione Civile (Io non rischio) · Cosa fare - Terremoto checked 2026-10-20
  2. Dipartimento della Protezione Civile · Io non rischio - Sfogliabile multirischio (© 2025 DPC) checked 2026-10-20
  3. Dipartimento della Protezione Civile (Io non rischio) · Cosa fare - Radiologico e nucleare checked 2026-10-20
  4. Dipartimento della Protezione Civile · Come funziona | IT Alert checked 2026-10-20
  5. Dipartimento della Protezione Civile · Quando si usa | IT Alert checked 2026-10-20
  6. Dipartimento della Protezione Civile (Io non rischio) · Cosa sapere - Radiologico e nucleare checked 2026-10-20
  7. Dipartimento della Protezione Civile (published by Prefettura - UTG) · Piano nazionale per la gestione delle emergenze radiologiche e nucleari - Appendice 13. Procedura per l'attivazione e l'attuazione della misura di iodoprofilassi (versione 1.21, 9 marzo 2022) checked 2026-10-20
  8. Provincia autonoma di Trento · NUE 112 - Numero Unico Europeo per le chiamate di emergenza checked 2026-10-20
  9. Regione Piemonte · Numero di emergenza unico europeo 112 checked 2026-10-20

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