This document summarizes Elena Rapisardi's work on the Open Foreste Italiane project, which used crowdsourcing and geolocated data to support forest fire preparedness and response in Italy. The project started in 2009 by gathering data from forest workers on Facebook. An Ushahidi platform was used to map this data. The project raised awareness of web tools and engaged volunteers, citizens, and institutions. Lessons learned include the need to commit institutions long-term, promote citizen participation, integrate platforms, increase digital literacy, and fundraise. The focus going forward is on preparedness through collaboration at all levels in between emergencies.