Protezione Civile — Genzano di Roma

English for Civil Protection — il lessico delle emergenze

Scheda fotocopiabile — Secondaria di Secondo Grado

Destinatari: 14-19 anni · livello B1-B2 Obiettivo: lessico tecnico PC in inglese, comprensione del testo, role-play Discipline: inglese L2, ed. civica

In emergenze internazionali, l'inglese è la lingua-veicolo per coordinare aiuti tra paesi. Conoscere il lessico essenziale della civil protection è utile per chi sceglie il volontariato internazionale, per leggere fonti scientifiche, per seguire le emergenze nei media anglofoni.

Glossary — vocabolario tecnico

Civil Protection
Protezione Civile /ˈsɪv.ɪl prəˈtek.ʃən/

Earthquake / Quake
Terremoto / sisma /ˈɜː.θ.kweɪk/

Aftershock
Replica sismica /ˈɑːf.tə.ʃɒk/

Magnitude
Magnitudo /ˈmæɡ.nɪ.tjuːd/

Wildfire
Incendio boschivo /ˈwaɪld.faɪ.ər/

Flood / Flooding
Alluvione / allagamento /flʌd/

Landslide
Frana /ˈlænd.slaɪd/

Evacuation
Evacuazione /ɪˌvæk.juˈeɪ.ʃən/

Shelter
Rifugio / riparo /ˈʃel.tər/

First responder
Primo soccorritore

Volunteer
Volontario /ˌvɒl.ənˈtɪər/

Emergency drill
Esercitazione di emergenza

Drop, Cover, Hold On
Abbassati, riparati, tieniti (sisma)

Early warning
Allerta precoce

Reading — international civil protection

Educational reconstruction · ECHO style

EU Civil Protection Mechanism activated for floods in Greece

Brussels, 8 September 2023

Following devastating flooding in central Greece caused by Storm Daniel, the European Commission has activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism at the request of the Greek authorities. Several Member States, including Italy, France and Germany, are sending rescue teams, helicopters and water pumps to support local first responders.

"This is what European solidarity looks like in practice," said the Commissioner for Crisis Management. "When a Member State faces a disaster beyond its national capacity, the Mechanism allows us to coordinate cross-border assistance within hours."

The Mechanism, established in 2001 and expanded after the 2017 Mediterranean wildfires, includes a strategic reserve known as rescEU: aircraft for fighting fires, medical evacuation planes, field hospitals, and emergency stockpiles.

In Greece, more than 4,000 residents have been evacuated. Italian volunteers from regional civil protection services are operating in the Thessaly region, where damages to roads, bridges and farmland are still being assessed.

Comprehension questions

Role-play — emergency call in English

🎭 Scenario

You are a tourist in Italy during a hiking trip in the Castelli Romani. A friend twisted his ankle on a steep path and cannot walk. Call 112 in English. The operator (a classmate) will guide you.

You (tourist): dial 112, give your name, location (use a landmark!), describe the injury, mention if anyone speaks Italian, follow instructions.

Operator: ask "What's your emergency? Where are you exactly? Can you give a landmark? Is the patient breathing? Stay on the line."

Per il/la docente · Tracce:

1) Storm Daniel / flooding in central Greece. 2) Italy, France, Germany. 3) rescEU = aircraft, medical evac planes, field hospitals, emergency stockpiles. 4) "Quando uno Stato Membro affronta un disastro oltre la sua capacità nazionale, il Meccanismo ci consente di coordinare assistenza transfrontaliera entro poche ore."
Role-play: 8-10 min in coppie. Il docente può registrare e correggere pronuncia/grammatica. Per il 112 vero, ricordare che a Genzano è in italiano (operatori multilingue su richiesta).
5) Vantaggi: nessun ritardo dovuto a traduzione, lessico standardizzato evita errori critici (es. "drop" universale per il sisma), interoperabilità con squadre internazionali. Limite: rischio di esclusione di chi non parla inglese.
Risorse: EU CPKN, FEMA, UK Cabinet Office.