Year: 2017

Three firefighters and five members of a team from Afocelca – (a forest fire prevention and control organization) – were injured in the fire that burned from midday on 3^rd July in the area of ​​Crucifixo, Tramagal parish, Abrantes.

In the fire, three firefighters were injured, “victims of smoke inhalation and exhaustion,” and five firefighters from Afocelca for burns, according to Abrantes Mayor Maria do Céu Albuquerque.

Two of the eight victims – at least seven of whom were admitted to the Hospital de Abrantes – are in critical condition and the others are considered mild.

The two seriously injured were, however, transported to the burn unit of the Hospital de São José, in Lisbon, and another with slight injuries to Porto.

“At this point I can confirm that two patients, one of them heli-transported, were admitted to the intensive care unit for burns, both with a “reserved” prognosis ,” the official source of the Lisbon hospital told Lusa.

The fire, combated by 188 operations, 54 vehicles and two air vehicles, was in a “completion phase” at 1800 hrs on 3^rd. There were no threats to homes, and the material damage is limited to those caused in a burned agricultural annex, which is not known to be used.

Also around noon, a fire broke out in Tomar, causing three light injuries, two firemen (from Constância and Maceira) and a civilian.

The mayor of the municipality Anabela Freitas said that some municipal roads and secondary roads and roads were cut “by precaution”, calling on people to respect the orders given to them.

He also highlighted the fact that he found that many homes had the range of fuel management done, but he regretted that others still present “grass until the house.”

According to CDOS de Santarém, the fire was in a “resolution phase” at1800 hrs and what aggravated the situation was “other fires in the district of Santarém”.

In the fight against the fires, 279 operatives, 76 vehicles and three air assets were involved, according to information on the civil protection page.

The Government has estimated the damages and needs to be almost 500 million euros to deal with the consequences of the fires in the area of ​​Pedrógão Grande. € 193 million will be needed to respond immediately to emergency situations encountered on the ground, and an additional € 303 million will be made available to advance measures to prevent and revive the economy, promoting, according to Minister Pedro Marques, initiatives that promote Economic diversity, “for sectors with more added value and less dependent on the forest”.

The balance of losses and announcement of measures to be taken, was made on 3^rd July in Figueiró dos Vinhos, after a meeting with the councillors of the seven municipalities affected, and in the presence of the chairman of the Central Zone Coordination Commission, who was the Coordinated this survey and diagnosis.

According to the report, immediate damage requires an emergency response of € 193 million. At stake are 481 affected dwellings, which have suffered total or partial damage, 169 of which refer to first-class housing and almost 46 thousand hectares of burned area, 43,201 of which correspond to forest, grassland and pasture.

According to the Minister of Planning, the State will respond to all these situations, once it is confirmed that there are no insurance to activate. “It should be clear that the answers will be immediate when the insurances cannot be activated. The use of insurance will always be prevalent, “the minister warned.

In the case of housing, the estimated value of damages corresponds to 27.6 million euros. The government report identifies losses still the second housing (205) and vacant housing (117), and the Minister Pedro Marques said that will be opened special lines of credit with interest rates and maturities extended so that they can advance reconstruction In cases identified as non-priority.

With regard to the damage caused by forest fires to the seven municipalities, and according to the survey carried out by the Institute for Nature Conservation, the amount needed to repair damage to private machinery and equipment, loss of wood material and emergency stabilization measures is of 84 million euros.

Regarding business activity, the report points to damages in 49 companies from four municipalities (Pedrógão Grande, Figueiró dos Vinhos, Castanheira de Pera and Góis) and which affected to a greater or lesser extent 374 workers. Of these, 51 have been without jobs, and will see their situation accompanied by the Institute of Employment and Professional Training of Leiria. The volume of losses reached amounts to 27.5 million euros, to which must be added those that were accounted for by Turismo de Portugal of a further 3.6 million euros, which take into account damages in local accommodation units and in some rails and routes, especially in the Schist Villages.

Losses in agriculture were recorded at 19.43 million euros, municipal infrastructure and equipment totaled 21.7 million euros and those of the national road network (whose costs will be borne by Infraestructuras de Portugal and Ascendi, The concessionaire of Pinhal Interior) exceeded 2.5 million euros. To finish the bookkeeping of the losses, it is necessary to point out the 4.5 million euros that were necessary for the mobilization of means to combat this fire.

The Government has made it very clear where it intends to seek funding to repair all these damages. In the case of private dwellings, they will be funds from the State Budget and from the many lines of solidarity that have been created in the meantime, which will serve to answer in the cases of the first dwelling. In other cases, of second housing and devolutions, there must be recourse to credit lines created for this purpose.

Damage to forests, agriculture and other economic activities should be compensated by Community funds. Minister Pedro Marques announced the readiness of the European Commission to make a special reprogramming for the Center’s Operational Program to deal with these new investments. “In terms of business, only support was given to applications in the area of ​​innovation. This has to be changed, and Brussels has already shown openness to it, “the minister explained.

It is also with the help of Community funds, and the special lines of financing obtained from the Juncker Plan or from the European Investment Bank, that the Government intends to finance the special measures to relaunch the economy, which are accounted for at 303 million euros. New tenders will be launched under Portugal 2020 amounting to 70 million euros to diversify economic activity and make these counties less dependent on the forest. Support for business investment in productive innovation in affected municipalities can reach 70 million euros. And there will be further calls for tenders to support productive investment and measures to set up businesses and employment of EUR 30 million. Source publico.pt

During the summer, the National Republican Guard (GNR) is reinforcing patrols and support activities in its area of ​​responsibility, with particular emphasis on the most frequented seaside resorts, parties, pilgrimages and events throughout the country, and on the main roads.

In the scope of this operation, the Direct Key Program is active, with the purpose of guaranteeing the safety of the habitual residences of the citizens who are on vacation, by carrying out patrolling actions with them during the absence of their owners. Admission to the program must be requested at least 48 hours prior to the absence of the owners of the residence, through the internet at https://veraoseguro.mai.gov.pt/Pages/Home.aspx, or an application submitted at the GNR Of your area of ​​residence. The Direct Key program is active through September 15. It should be noted that in the last two summers, 3750 households were registered, with only one being the target of theft.

Also within the scope of Operation Summer Insurance, and for the first time, the GNR carries out the Tourism Insurance Program, with the objective of promoting support, security and fight against crime against tourists, national or foreign, thus contributing to a peaceful stay for those who visit Portugal.

In addition to the reinforcement of specialized patrols with a view to the care, reception and referral of these citizens. The military also develop information and awareness actions for this specific public, with the intention of preventing potential risks and dangers during their stay.

In order to promote and facilitate policing of proximity to tourists and in a context of international cooperation, we will also count on the permanent presence of six Spanish Civil Guard and three Gendamarie Nationale French military personnel to carry out mixed patrol in the bathing areas in most of the Algarve, Lisbon and Setúbal during the months of July and August. The GNR will also strengthen patrolling in the Spanish tourist areas most frequented by the Portuguese, such as Pontevedra and Huelva, with four soldiers. There will also be reinforcement of the joint patrol with the Guardia Civil, in Portuguese and Spanish territory, along the border zones, in larger events.

Surveillance of the coastline will be strengthened through the Coastal Control Unit whose mission is surveillance, patrolling and interception by land or sea along the coast and territorial sea of ​​the continent and the autonomous regions, in particular those points which may offer better conditions for and prevent and detecting illegal entry of foreign nationals. It will also strengthen the enforcement actions of national and foreign recreational craft, in order to verify the safety conditions for its operation, in order to prevent and take action against behaviour that lead to situations of danger to navigation

There may be an increase in respiratory, cardiac and “decompensation” diseases, says the president of the Regional Health Administration of the Center – reported in the Diarios de Noticais

The president of the Regional Health Administration of the Center (ARSC), José Tereso, has warned of the possibility of increasing “morbidity factors” in the zone affected by the fire that started in Pedrógão Grande on July 17.

“It is foreseeable that there will be an increase in the number of diseases, so we have launched an appeal for all residents to visit a doctor to check their health.” LSC president Lusa told the agency after the fire that began in Pedrógão Grande, that caused 64 dead and more than 200 injured.

According to José Tereso, there may be an increase in respiratory, cardiac and “decompensation” diseases. The official announced this in, Pedrógão Grande, Leiria district, from a mobile public health unit.

The mobile unit, which is in the Pedrógão Grande Health Center, will begin to move, “from place to place”, starting Monday 3^rd July.

The team has “public health doctors, environmental health technicians and other professionals”, who are going to do a study “to prevent diseases of the population” and identify unhealthy situations according to the ARSC.

“They will check if someone is supplied with untreated water, if food comes from contaminated areas, among other things,” he said.

According to José Tereso, on 3^rd July  the regional administration is coordinating a meeting in Pedrógão Grande, “with several participants from the organizations that have been active on the ground, as well as others who provide support and coordination at the national level”, to determine the “Next phase” of the program to support the affected region.

The fire that broke out in Pedrógão Grande on June 17, in the district of Leiria, caused at least 64 dead and more than 200 wounded, and was only given as extinct a week later.

More than two thousand operatives were involved in fighting the flames, which consumed 53 thousand hectares of forest, equivalent to about 75 thousand football fields.

The area destroyed by these fires in the Central region corresponds to almost a third of the area burned in Portugal in 2016, which totalled 154,944 hectares, according to the Annual Internal Security Report released by the Government in March.

A Groundforce official was beaten “brutally” by two passengers on a TAP flight who were able to get off the plane and access the runway at Lisbon airport, the SITAVA coordinator said.

Speaking to the Lusa news agency, Fernando Henriques said that the incident took place on 2^nd June on a 10:30 flight from Paris, where two passengers were able to get out of the plane and assault the employee of Groundforce.

According to the head of the Union of Aviation Workers and Airports (SITAVA), the two passengers “came down to the plate and brutally assaulted a Groundforce worker who had to receive hospital care” with suspected “fractures in two ribs” Besides several abrasions.

Fernando Henriques stressed that the TAP plane was “in a remote position”, that is, located at a point on the runway that is only accessible to passengers by authorized transport, which causes the union to hold the airline responsible for the fact that the two passengers They were able to get off the plane.

TAP source Lusa confirmed that the company was aware of the incident from the report of the commander of the aircraft, who reported the misbehaviour of two passengers and that they had attacked an employee.

The same source added that the incident caused the flight to be delayed but did not confirm, however, that the alleged attackers were already inside the plane before the assaults occurred.

Already source of the Metropolitan Command of Lisbon (Cometlis) of the Police of Public Security (PSP) confirmed to Lusa that the police authorities of the airport were called because of this incident, having the two alleged aggressors been identified but not detained.

Fraudulent scheme in all-inclusive hotels, encouraged by tour operators, incites false food poisoning and claims for reimbursement.

British tourists are being encouraged to make false claims of food poisoning to insurance companies to receive compensation. Due to this crime there are already hotels damaged by 60 million euros and arrests of people involved with the operators in Spain.

The scheme “began to make considerable impact in Spain with the raising of offices of unscrupulous lawyers and employees who circulated in vans next to the hotels, saying Get Your Holidays for Free,” explained Cristina Siza Vieira, president Of the Hospitality Association of Portugal (AHP), to TVI24.

Similar cases have been reported in Portugal, Greece and Turkey. “We do not have exact numbers. In general, for three years this type of fraud has increased by 500%, especially in Spain, but in Portugal as well, “Sean Tipton of ABTA, the UK Association of Travel Agencies and Tour Operators, told TVI. Recently Safe Communities Portugal met with ABTA in the UK and has published advice on this matter.

But how do guests and operators go unpunished? A blackmail is orchestrated that pushes for out-of-court settlements to avoid judgments after complaints have been made. As British law is very comprehensive and allows complaints to be made up to three years after the alleged gastric disease, tourists and lawyers have the power over the situation.

The Algarve and Madeira are the most visited tourist destinations in Portugal, but there are few hotel groups that do all-inclusive activities, so the scope of fraud is not as serious in Portugal as in the neighbouring country.

In an interview with TVI24, official source of the Pestana group said that it had “about 20 complaints” at the end of last year. Complaints that are related to stays in 2014 “and that, both during the stays and later, never reported anything, neither the travel agent nor the hotel. In these cases, the Pestana group declines any responsibility indicating that they now follow the normal course.

The Group further emphasizes that its hotels are audited in a rigorous and regular manner, with a “concern of those responsible for complying with the guidelines given by the auditors in accordance with the best practices and legal requirements in force in matters of food hygiene and safety. “It concludes that unfounded claims will not be viable in the Group.

 

The Safe and Sunny Holiday Seminar dealing with on-line fraud in the Global Tourism Industry was a great success attended by senior government officials and some 70 people overall.

The event jointly organised by Safe Communities Portugal and the Public Security Police, Metropolitan Police Command, held in Cascais, was the first of its type in Portugal, dealing with a highly complex issue that affects the travel industry, both here and many other countries.

The seminar was opened by the Presidente da Câmara Municipal de Cascais, Dr.Carlos Carreiras, and other officials namely the Deputy National Director of the Public Security Police, Superintendente- Chefe Torres; the  Comandante do Comando Metropolitano da PSP de Lisboa (Superintendente Jorge Maurício) and David Thomas President Safe Communities Portugal.  Dr. Carreiras emphasized the importance of tourism and its value to the local community and therefore the importance of reducing the risk of this type of fraud.

Other officials attending were Pedro Gasper Inspector General of ASAE, Dr. Gameiro Marques Director General Gabinete Nacional de Seguranca and Dra. Ana Catarina Director General Consumidor.

Over a period of some two hours the presenters shared their diverse experiences in areas such as fraud prevention, investigation, prosecution and consumer rights, including an overseas experience from the Deputy Head of Mission Australian Embassy in Lisbon.

The presenter from Consumidor Dra. Maria do Ceu Costa, gave an overview of the European structure of consumer rights protection and the rights of redress in cases of fraud, and the part Portugal plays in this.  Dr Eduardo Miranda outlined the work of Associação do Alojamento Local em Portugal on the ways to help prevent fraud and Dr.º Pedro Verdelho Gabinete Cibercrime da Procuradoria-Geral da República, outlined the challenges posed on determining where the crime was based, and the investigation and prosecutions of such crimes.

Comissário Iúri Rodrigues from the Public Security Police explained the police perspective from the Public Security Police point of view and Prof. Jim Litchko from Safe Communities Portugal outline the work of the association in fraud prevention and the cyber security threats.

David Thomas stated that it was clear that with the increasing number of tourists visiting Portugal, this could result in an increase in fraud as fraudsters are targeting the most popular travel periods and destinations.

All agreed that in booking holidays and accommodation there was a need to move away from an direct interbank payment system, which could easily be exploited by criminals and move instead to a credit card system where possible. It was noted that in the UK this was the advice of ABTA the British and Tourism Association, the police and others so it was important that the industry makes the changes necessary to accommodate this form of payment.

For those unable to attend this seminar Safe Communities Portugal and the Regional Tourism Algarve will be holding a similar presentation – date to be announced.

The Portuguese Navy is sending 154 personnel to contribute to the immediate security and support of the population affected by the fire that began in Pedrógão Grande.

In a note sent to the Lusa agency, the Portuguese Navy stated that its task is to provide a visible presence to the population affected by the fire that killed 64 people and more than 200 injured, and carry out a georeference survey, including the Group Date Time (GDH) of the events, the capture of photographs of the burned areas and destroyed infrastructure.

In addition, the Navy will address the identity of the affected persons (name and age), provided prior consent is obtained, including lost property, chronic diseases (hypertension, diabetes, depression, etc.) that require more urgent assistance

They will also help distribute basic necessities for the affected population and to participate in the placement of tarpaulins in buildings that have lost their roofs.

The operation will also include creating and updating, a database with the following structure: “GDH event / geographical position / type of problem detected / Generic information, compiling situation data aftermath to provide to the local camera”.

The force is composed of nine members in the command post, plus 96 from Marine Corps 1 (FFZ1), eight from the health outpost, 24 from the field kitchen, five from maintenance, 10 from CIMIC (Civil Military Cooperation “) and one from the Center for Operational Analysis and also a Hydrographic Institute.

The Navy adds that the operational command of the Force is Naval Command, the logistical support is from the Marine Corps and that the commander of the forces on the spot is the commander of Marine Battalion No. 2.

The coordination and setting of objectives are carried out by the Pedrógão Grande Chamber, through a CIMIC (civil-military cooperation) cell to be installed with support from the Navy in the chamber, assigning specialized military personnel to guarantee its permanent operation.

The liaison is made with the local Fire Department, local GNR, other support structures for the population, whether of the State and / or voluntary.

A 52-year-old woman was detained for being “heavily indicted” for a forest fire crime in Lamego, Viseu district, last Sunday, 18.

The detainee is “suspected of having started a fire in a forest area, located in the Serra das Meadas, in Lamego,” reads a press release from the Judiciary Police (PJ) sent to the media, stating that the fire was registered in the ” On June 18, 2017, at about 11.45 am “, endangering a” vast forest and habitat “and which were not consumed due to the swift intervention of the combatants, namely firefighters.

The detained will be presented the judicial interrogation to apply the coercion measures deemed appropriate.

The Judiciary Police identified and have arrested 20 people for the crime of forest fire so far this year.

Following the contact with the IPMA, the ANPC has issued the following warning on 23rd June

For the next 48 hours, a very high risk of maximum fire in the northern and central interior regions and in the southern region, PARTICULARLY IN THE ALGARVE.