Mass emailed bomb threats do not trigger mandatory school building evacuations unless authorities find specific, concrete evidence of danger, according to a new government directive.
The Presidency of the Council of Ministers issued the circular to schools in agreement with interested ministers, ansa.it reported. The communication establishes a strict threshold for disrupting classes and operations following a recent wave of widespread electronic threats.
Under the active protocol, the mere receipt of mass alarm emails is not enough to clear a building. Officials must identify tangible risk factors before ordering an evacuation.
The directive applies broadly across all public administrations. Local Prefects retain the power to order evacuations only when concrete warning signs point to an actual threat.
The Interministerial Committee for the Security of the Republic planned a technical-level meeting to define a unified operational protocol for handling security alarms, Palazzo Chigi announced.
The standardized framework aims to streamline how different agencies respond to electronic threats. It prevents localized panic while maintaining safety standards across public institutions.
“The protocol, already operativo, is applied to all administrations, and proves as a general line that, in the absence of concrete elements further than the simple reception of a mass mail that make a threat seem real, buildings will not be evacuated,” Palazzo Chigi said in a note reported by ansa.it.
Local authorities must evaluate each threat individually rather than reacting automatically to bulk messaging campaigns. The rule balances operational continuity with student and staff safety.
A Prefect retains the authority to order an evacuation only when holding specific and concrete elements that configure a situation of actual risk.
The Presidency of the Council of Ministers issued the circular in agreement with interested government ministers.
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