The Role of the Government in the Field of Public Protection in the Prevention of Earthquake Disasters

Protecting human lives from devastating natural phenomena is among the most relevant goals of public protection at an international level. In this context, the Government has a huge responsibility in each country including the institutional framework of disaster management, knowledge transfer or legislation. The tendencies and consequences of recent natural disasters indicated that prevention has come to the fore globally. This approach is very important in earthquake prone areas as well. Generally, the most common measure after a devastating earthquake incident is the revision of seismic codes and declaring new design standards.On the other hand, strengthening existing building constructions is inevitable for the mitigation of damages and prevention. Italy is one of the European countries most affected by earthquakes. The lessons learned from Italian risk management strategies and retrofitting projects for unreinforced old masonry buildings can be useful for establishing national strategies and governmental measures within the framework of public protection.