Disaster risk awareness and preparedness of the EU population: Italy

The survey on disaster risk awareness in Italy reveals that citizens feel most vulnerable to extreme weather events (44%), followed by geological disasters (32%) and floods (31%). Italian citizens exhibit relatively low levels of both disaster risk awareness and preparedness compared to other EU countries. Their primary sources of information are national media, local media, and the emergency management system, with average trust and expectations of public authorities. Public agencies and media outlets should strive to leverage their influence to empower citizens, providing accessible information and resources to strengthen disaster preparedness across communities.

This serial survey assesses the awareness of EU citizens about the disaster risks that could affect them, their preparedness to face various disaster risk scenarios, and the reliance they place on a range of actors in disaster situations. The survey also explores the engagement of EU citizens in voluntary work to increase disaster resilience.