Florence, 02 March 2016
The Metropolitan City of Florence and the Gruppo FS Italiane combine forces to promote emergency planning and overcoming emergency events requiring the action of the Protezione Civile (Disaster/emergency management services).
Signed today at Palazzo Medici Riccardi by Andrea Ceccarelli, Managing Director for Infrastructure, and Franco Fiumara, Central Corporate Protection Director of the Gruppo FS Italiane, the renewal of the agreement (signed in 2010) between Metrocittà and the Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane offers assistance to travellers in cases of emergency.
As established by the agreement, the Metrocittà (Metropolitan City), through the Metropolitano Volunteer Coordination, is committed to ensuring widespread support to the Gruppo FS Italiane in terms of territorial coverage by providing assistance to travellers in difficulty due to disasters that may affect the railway infrastructure.
As per this agreement, each co-operative action will be carried out in synergy with Gruppo FS Italiane personnel involved in the management of the emergency.
In particular, the measures of the voluntary system consist essentially in the provision and distribution of basic supplies (e.g. water bottles), garrison stations and informational activities to travellers.
Specifically, the new agreement provides, in collaboration with voluntary associations, the storage of 5,000 bottles of water furnished by the Gruppo FS Italiane, on 8 sites located in the vicinity of the following railway lines: Olmatello, Figline Valdarno, Sesto Fiorentino, Signa, Empoli, Barberino Val d'Elsa/Certaldo, Pontassieve and Borgo San Lorenzo.
This will reduce response times when providing assistance to travellers is required.
The Gruppo FS is also committed to ensuring the presence of its staff members in the command centre of the Protezione Civile (Disaster/emergency management services) located in Metrocittà and integrated with the Prefecture of Florence, specifically regarding those events directly affecting the metropolitan territory.
With the new general emergency plan regarding the Florence-Bologna High-Speed line, specific measures will be planned by the Metrocittà, in addition to those already provided by Regional Law no. 67/2003 regarding disaster/emergency management services.