(by Massimiliano D'Elia) "For years, scholars have warned decision-makers: 'Pandemics are real threats to humanity "but decision-makers always find themselves unprepared and people do not follow them". Cosi 'wrote in an article published by Eurispes, Pasquale Preziosa former head ofair Force and today President of the Security Observatory.
To take up the concept of Espresso, the very detailed inquiry made by Emiliano Fittipaldi e John Titian. In the investigation it is said that in the runners of the buildings that count in Rome, Government members would be concerned from the behavior of Italians who, if they do not change soon in the name of responsibility, other extreme measures will have to be taken. This, since the equally dramatic emergency of thepublic. So, the Espresso article specifies, it is necessary to prepare in time, and start thinking about action plans for the police and, if necessary, for the Army. "We must be ready everywhere and try to involve the military more”, Explains an authoritative voice from Palazzo Chigi. "Without alarming the population, but without being caught unprepared for the umpteenth time".
The politicians heard by Espresso say, in a low voice, that we need a qualitative leap in the control of the territory. Not only because the rules of government decrees are truly respected, but also to create safety nets in every city. The theme is to militarize the streets to impose the rules given by the numerous decrees passed by the Government and systematically disregarded by a group of Italians. "It's obvious, politicians explain, that the epidemic must be stopped at all costs, and that until now part of the population does not seem to have understood the real danger".
The appeal of the government beaten in the evening by the Ansa: "Do not travel even to return to the family", va made an extra effort by everyone. Even by those who work or study in another region other than the place where they have their family or residence: do not move. If you really love your loved ones, and for the good of all, these trips should be avoided". This is the appeal of Palazzo Chigi. "Just to counter the Coronavirus emergency, and as part of the interventions aimed at reducing ordinary long-distance trains, the Ministry of Transport has ordered the blocking of night trains from tonight ".
The risk is that, should the situation get worse, anarchy can take over. We can't afford it ". In the national system, catastrophe emergencies are donated to Civil protection, which, however, does not deal with public order. On the other hand, the Espresso investigation points out, no one had predicted epidemics or biological risks of similar magnitude to Covid-19. There are reserved plans in the prefectures of each province that establish the operational lines of the police in coordination with the health departments and other actors in the area. These are the civil defense plans and those on external attacks called Nbcr (nuclear, bacteriological, chemical, radiological).
However, no one had ever imagined having to face a coronavirus emergency, which has an impact on an infinitely greater scale than a terrorist attack or biological accident. Above all, the epidemic poses public order profiles never hypothesized before, such as the uncontrolled fear of people fomented by false news spread on social networks, and by institutional information that is sometimes contradictory and confused. This is why in this context of psychosis risk, the role of the prefectures takes on more and more weight. They are, in fact, the prefects and officials who work in the government offices territorial deputies for the management of public order.
"For weeks, colleagues, together with all the remaining staff available, have been promptly supporting the coordination action of the Prefects in the field ", clarifies Anthony Giannelli, president of Sinpref, the union of prefectural officials. Therefore, continues Giannelli, “we are ready for any extraordinary effort which, also to make up for the shortcomings of staff registered in many prefectures, contemplate the mobilization of all the colleagues available. However, it is necessary to perform an adequate shift and preserve their health, ensuring maximum operational efficiency for theof the intervention device ".
Police, carabinieri, financiers e local police, could soon be used on the roads, both to carry out greater checks on citizens and to intervene where necessary. A demonstration of our lack of preparation was given by revolt of Italian prisons"We know what to do during sporting events, in the riots of migrant reception centers, but we have never received any directive on how to behave in the management of public order in events following a health emergency", Explains one of the agents who intervened to quell the uprising in the Modena prison, where there were nine deaths.
Army
The Ministry of Defense, led by Lorenzo Guerini intervened in the emergency by providing buildings and barracks, for any quarantines, as in the case of the Cecchignola in Rome and the Riberi garrison in Turin, military hospitals (Baggio in Milan and beyond) and about forty military doctors and nurses. The Chief of the Defense Staff, the general Enzo Vecciarelli it's ready, in the case of a government request, to intervene also in the field of public order.
The military (about 500 men), however, in the first areas of the Lodi and Paduan outbreaks have already been used to guard about fifty crossings. Now the hypothesis is to use, in the coronavirus emergency, a much greater number of forces, on the 'safe roads' model. The Army, which is widely distributed throughout the country, could also be used to distribute food and medicine to those who could not get it on their own. The army, but above all the police and carabinieri, could also be employed on another front. Exceptional transport (in the case of blocking public transport) and control of food stores. The crowd in front of supermarkets is considered a worrying sign by the authorities. Citizens who run to the grocery store for fear of finding empty shelves, terrified despite the government's reassurances on the possibility of always shopping, have struck all observers and analysts. Uncontrolled crowds are a security threat.
007 in alarm
Secret services are also on the alert. Aisi e Aise they have no specific expertise on epidemics, but it is known that the intelligence has the task of research and elaborate in the fields of competence all the useful information for the defense of the independence, integrity and security of the Republic.
THE Aise, our external security agency certainly has Nbcr threat capabilities, but in case of epidemics no plan has ever been prepared. To date, the government has asked our services to obtain information on foreign companies that are flocking to sell us medical supplies, masks and ventilators. To understand if they are serious companies, if the products are of quality and at reasonable prices. Someone, at Palazzo Chigi, would also like our agents to work to understand who, in the world, is getting closer to antiviral drugs effective against Covid 19 and the vaccine, to try to be ready to buy the necessary stocks first.
In an emergency never faced before, it is necessary to leave the "fear of deciding" in the drawer, at stake is the health of one's citizens and, in a certain sense, the Defense and Security of one's Nation, object, in these days , of unimaginable financial speculations and not only by some countries, "considered" friends. Political colors must also be put in the same drawer immediately, all together we must contribute with behaviors, actions and decisions for a common purpose: to defeat the worst threat to humanity of the last century.