Castelli: «Reconstruction as an opportunity for relaunch» – Teramo

TERAMO. Reconstruction can be an opportunity for relaunch, but also for innovation and prevention. This is the summary of the interventions of the commissioners for reconstruction who took turns at the speakers’ table on Wednesday morning during the conference organized by the Civil Protection in Rome. «The meaning of reconstruction», said the post-earthquake commissioner in central Italy, Guido Castelli, «is to build better, identifying active faults or areas at hydrogeological risk where not to rebuild. Reconstruction is an opportunity for innovation but also for economic and social relaunch.”
The general Francesco Paolo Figliuolo, commissioner for floods in Emilia Romagna, Tuscany and Marche, instead launched an appeal for practicality, recalling that there are “small countries where there is one flood for each inhabitant”. «The commissioner», he said, «must be a man of action, someone who tries to intercept the needs of the territory, make them granular and adopt solutions». And he added: «Reconstruction can be a moment of opportunity. A well-done reconstruction, in the right times and in the right ways, makes the difference. But the difference is made above all by the women and men who work there. People who know things must sit in the various booths.”
The commissioners spoke about personal experiences, recalling expenses and problems related to reconstruction. For the coordinator of the mission structure for the L’Aquila earthquake, Mario Fiorentino«the reconstruction, despite its complexity and many delays, had a satisfactory outcome considering the extent of the damage, the extension and complexity of the affected building fabric». Giovanni Legnini, commissioner for the earthquake and flood in Ischia and until early 2023 commissioner for the post-earthquake reconstruction of central Italy, instead placed the emphasis on the timing, defining the “best solution” to think about reconstruction already in the emergency phase When possible. Then a mention of the lack of technical figures, “the main factor slowing down reconstructions”. «Professionals who work, work», underlined Legnini, «but the audience of professionals must be emphasised». “The work of the technicians is difficult,” he echoed Salvatore Scalia, commissioner for the 2018 Catania earthquake, “we need to help them”. Addressing the Minister for Civil Protection Nello Musumecifinally, the commissioner asked to “strengthen the functions of the commissioner”, so that he can “replace the municipalities in terms of construction”.