In these days of emergency the machine of Civil protection is operating throughout the territory nationalA reality that, little by little, we are all learning to know. In Conflenti, too, the system has been fully operational for several weeks to manage the ongoing health emergency.
All voluntary associations are coordinated by the Civil Protection authorities
It is important to emphasize that all volunteer actions are coordinated by the Civil Protection authorities at the national, regional, and municipal levels. In fact, the competence and responsibility for all Civil Protection emergencies lies with the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, regional governors, and mayors. Therefore, in order to operate, volunteering must necessarily be activated and act under the coordination of one of the above-mentioned levels.. The mayor of Conflenti therefore activated, on March 19th, the Municipal Operations Center (COC), a structure responsible for managing emergencies. In addition to administrators and employees, given the particular nature and complexity of the moment, the COC he intended to call upon the Municipal Group of Civil Protection Volunteers for support.
The work of the Civil Protection
Colorful yellow and blue uniforms that we have been seeing passing through the village for days on board their unmistakable white off-road vehiclesThey deliver medicines and basic necessities to the elderly and vulnerable. They collaborate with the associated medical practice and with the nuns Cottolengo and the parish to bring a smile to children, the elderly, and the sick. Volunteers of various ages and professions. All true Conflentians who, for two years now (since the municipal group was founded), have been committed to benefiting the community through emergency prevention and management activities. In the winter, they are active in managing damage caused by adverse weather conditions. In the summer, they travel to and from putting out forest fires in support of Calabria Verde and the former AFOR (forestry) workers. And now spending in favor of the community, like the many volunteers of the various associations that make up the realities of Conflenti and Calabria.
The floor to the volunteers
In addition to emergency response, the municipal group is continuously engaged in volunteer training programs within the Calabria Region and in prevention and information activities for the benefit of the community. We ask volunteers:
What are the positive aspects of being a civil protection volunteer?
"Certainly, the constant acquisition of new skills in activities we hadn't encountered before. We learned how to put out fires in forests we'd never thought of going. We set up tents and slept inside them. We learned how the civil defense system works and the most important behaviors to adopt in the event of a disaster. In short, many things we don't normally encounter in our daily lives.".
Why volunteer?
"Mainly because the motto "help yourself and God will help you" is true and here in Conflenti, if we don't think about ourselves, our loved ones and the elderly or those in difficulty, we would all be lost.".
And the negative aspects?
"There's only one thing that saddens and annoys us at the same time. The fact that we belong to a municipal group makes people think of us as some kind of mayoral aide or collaborators of the current administration. This isn't true. First of all, because our relationship with the current mayor is the normal relationship every civil protection volunteer must have with what the law identifies as the civil protection authority. There's no intervention if the competent authority doesn't authorize it. And secondly, because we'll always be there, regardless of the administration, regardless of political orientation. We're an open group; try it and believe it."
