Year: 2019

On Friday, the “Jornal de Notícias” (JN) reported that the National Civil Protection Authority (ANPC) delivered seventy thousand smoke collars, included in fire relief kits, under the “Safe Village – Safe People” program. .

The same newspaper wrote that they were collars made of flammable material and without anti-carbonization treatment, which provoked a series of criticisms to ANEPC and the Government, which paid 125 thousand euros for the smoke-free collars. The case has already prompted the Ministry of Internal Affairs to open an urgent inquiry into what happened. Understand what is happening with these quick answers.

The problem with the controversial kit, which serves as a first aid to the emergence of fires rather than combat, is that it includes a polyester smoke collar that will not have the expected effectiveness: preventing smoke inhalation through a filter effect. In addition to ineffectiveness, the collar material is flammable and uncarbonised.

One company from Fafe, Braga district, Foxtrot Aventura, and another from Arouca, Brain One – both contacted by ANEPC and made the collar and the kit..

Foxtrot Aventura sold a total of 15,000 kits and 70,000 collars in June 2018. According to the news, anti-smoking collars cost 125,000 euros. In his defence, a Fafe company official considered merchandising and that ANEPC did not refer to Foxtrot Aventura that the equipment “would be used in scenarios involving fire”.

On the same day that the complaint was reported, the Civil Protection stated that the materials distributed are not for firefighting or for individual protection, but for raising awareness of good practices.

In a statement, ANEPC recalled that the programs “derive from the Resolution of the Council of Ministers no. 157-A / 2017, of 27 October, and aim to empower the populations to strengthen the security of people and goods by adopting self-protection measures and simulations to local evacuation plans”.

First, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Eduardo Cabrita, said that the news about the smoke-free collars with flammable material distributed under the Safe Villages program had been “irresponsible and alarmist”.

However, Eduardo Cabrita had an urgent inquiry opened on Saturday on the hiring of fire-fighting material following news about smoke-resistant collars with flammable material distributed under the Safe Villages program.

“In light of the published news on contractual aspects of the awareness-raising material, the Minister of Internal Affairs asked the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority for clarification and called for an urgent inquiry into the Inspectorate General of Internal Administration,” read a communiqué of the guardianship.

This Monday, July 29, the Assistant Secretary of State for Civil Protection, Francisco José Ferreira, resigned after assuming his responsibility in choosing the companies that eventually awarded the manufacture of 70,000 flammable smoke collars.

The contracts in question were coordinated by the Secretary of State for Civil Protection, under the guidance of Francisco José Ferreira, leader of the PS / Arouca who, before joining the Government, was a baker in a pastry shop in Vila Nova de Gaia, owned by his brother. Francisco José Ferreira, 30, with his 12th grade, was appointed to the Government in December 2017.

Indeed, ANEPC received today the Preliminary Report containing the results of the test carried out on the mentioned “collars”, by the Centre for Forest Fire Studies, coordinated by Professor Dr. Domingos Xavier Viegas.

Without prejudice to the availability of ANEPC and the test coordinator for clarification, the following conclusion is drawn: “(…) the collars tested did not ignite – that is, they did not ignite with flame – even when subjected to a very high intensity heat flux produced by flames ranging in height from one to four meters, even when placed less than 0.5m from the flames for more than one minute.” Source Economic Jornel)

 

 

 

 

Between 22^nd and 28^th July the GNR inspected a total of 2,154 passenger vehicles, and identified 449 offences, including 16 for driving heavy passenger vehicles without a driver’s licence.

According to GNR, the enforcement operation was aimed at heavy passenger vehicles and vehicles used for the collective transport of children, to ensure compliance with applicable legal regulations, to promote the road safety of its users and to reduce road accident rates. .

There are also 117 notices of violation issued by GNR because the vehicles did not have the technical specifications to perform this type of transport, as well as, due to lack of mandatory equipment, namely lack of fire extinguisher and first aid box.

Another 91 offenses result from non-compliance with driving times, mandatory breaks and non-compliance with rest times, while 32 were due to lack of licensing or vehicles not fulfilling the requirements to perform this type of transport.

The list of contradictions includes 20 for passenger transport without the use of an approved and adapted seat belt or child restraint, 14 for lack or incorrect completion of the documentation required for the type of service, 13 for non-compliance with the rules on installation and use of tachograph and four for lack of licence for the exercise of the activity.

GNR also detected four infractions for lack of use of a retro-reflective vest and cross-country signalling racket (children), two for driving vehicles for the transport of children without a driver’s license, one for the absence of vigilantes and one for excessive traffic. .

According to the GNR, in heavy vehicle transport, public passenger transport was particularly sensitive, as non-compliance with legal regulations, especially in terms of safety rules, violation of driving and rest times or the adoption of this risk may “endanger the safety and physical integrity of a large number of passengers”.

In turn – warns the GNR – the bathing season is also conducive to the circulation of vehicles for the collective transport of children and young people up to 16 years old, from and to educational establishments, kindergartens, kindergartens and other facilities or spaces where educational or training activities take place, namely for sports or cultural activities, field trips and other organized leisure activities.

About a hundred military personnel will be reinforcing ground surveillance and patrolling operations in mainland Portugal as of Tuesday, following a sharp rise in temperatures, the Armed Forces General Staff (EMGFA) said.

In a statement, the EMGFA says that these 24 patrols – 16 from the Army and 8 from the Navy – out of a total of 96 military will reinforce surveillance and patrolling actions between today and Thursday, given the predicted sharp rise in temperatures, which will be accompanied by a higher wind intensity

The military will work in 10 districts of mainland Portugal, namely Beja, Castelo Branco, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisbon, Portalegre, Santarém and Setúbal.

The reinforcement follows a request by the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) to EMGFA to increase prevention actions throughout the country.

“The military of the Armed Forces will be engaged in ground surveillance operations but, if necessary, may be engaged in aftermath actions or general support for protective and relief operations that may be triggered,” explains EMGFA. .

Lisbon, 29 July 2019 (Lusa) – The Bar Association (OA) today expressed “worrying reservations” about the legality and constitutionality of the agreement signed between Portugal and the Government of the Macao Special and Administrative Region (MSAR) concerning the “Delivery of Escaping Offenders “.

In a statement, the OA General Council understands that the agreement raises “well founded and worrying reservations, for violating fundamental and structuring principles of Portuguese Constitutional and Criminal Law”.

The bilateral agreement signed on May 15 this year has been officially published in the MSAR, but not yet in Portugal.

According to OA, the agreement provides, inter alia, for the possibility of a fact which was not previously considered a criminal offense, but which at the time of the request may already be the basis for a request for surrender by the defendant.

“This possibility violates Article 29 (1) of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, which provides for the principle of prohibiting the retroactive application of less favourable criminal law,” recalls the Order.

OA states that the plea also allows for the possibility that, by way of application of the agreement, surrender may occur even if the crime for which judicial cooperation is requested does not contain the same typical elements on which punishment in Portugal depends.

This possibility – adds OA – allows the surrender to be made as a result of investigations or proceedings pending in the requesting State, which concern non-criminal facts in Portugal, thereby violating the principle of criminal legality upheld by Constitution of the Portuguese Republic.

The agreement also provides for the possibility that, notwithstanding the principle of speciality, persons who are handed over to Macao will later be handed over to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), by means of the rule that “The provisions of the Agreement shall not affect the arrangements for surrendering fugitive offenders between the Macao Special Administrative Region and other jurisdictions of the People’s Republic of China.”

OA further clarifies that the agreement provides for the possibility of “provisional arrests (…) which may undermine constitutional principles in force in Portugal”.

The agreement, according to the Bar Association, “thus violates fundamental constitutional principles at the level of the application of criminal laws and the restriction of rights, freedoms and guarantees, so that the solutions provided for therein (…) cannot be ignored..

 

In was announced through Lusa on 30^th July that Infrarastructures de Portugal (IP) had launched the “Life Lines” application, which will alert drivers of the locations on roads where animals are most run over so that we can take more effective action and reduce deaths.

The project has included for terrestrial animals, a “ground breaking” traffic signal in Portugal that warns drivers that they are in a section with a high risk of amphibians being run over.

This was explained by an IP engineering biologist Graça Garcia at a presentation at the company’s headquarters in Almada, in the district of Setubal.

With the help of citizens, information recorded on the death of an animal on any road in the country will be included in an existing database.

The digital tool was developed in partnership with the University of Évora and, according to the project coordinator at the institution, António Mira, besides mitigating negative effects, it is intended to “create awareness”.

According to the official, between 2005 and 2019, 81,972 animals died on Portuguese roads, with a higher incidence of amphibians, birds and mammals.

“Deaths occur most in the fall and mostly affect small animals such as amphibians. There is a mass mortality, but they go unnoticed because they are small. People may question why we are spending money saving frogs, but these animals are important, for example, to prevent pests, ”he said.

Still, as Graça Garcia stressed, “it is not only the safety of animals that is at stake, but also of people, to prevent accidents.”

Life Lines has been tested in Central Alentejo and has put in place several measures to “minimize the barrier effect that roads create to habitats” of owls, amphibians or mammals, which can later be replicated where necessary, according to the biologist.

In the case of birds, net barriers and shrubbery have been placed so that they fly higher, as well as reflectors that expand the light from headlights towards areas outside the road.

For terrestrial animals, hydraulic passages and fences have been put in place for them, as well as a “ground breaking” traffic signal in Portugal that warns drivers that they are in a section with a high risk of amphibians being run over.

The application is now available for download on Google Play, is free and allows you to record the mortality of an animal on any country road, the species, gender, age, GPS coordinates and photos, however, if the driver do not know any of this information, there is the option “do not know”.

In addition to IP and the University of Évora, the municipalities of Évora and Montemor-o-Novo and the NGO Marca – Local Development Association also cooperated in this project.

A Faro Airport campaign calling for an escape from the “Algarve confusion” is causing controversy. The Government has already asked for explanations from ANA Aeroportos, which has suspended, on Monday, the publications on social networks.

The phrase “Flee from the Algarve confusion and rest in France”, in Portuguese, English and Spanish, was the beacon of an advertising campaign for flights to Marseille, sparked a chorus of protests.

The President of the Algarve Tourism Region, João Fernandes, condemned the campaign, having contacted the airport management who “ordered the immediate cessation of this campaign and the clearance of responsibilities for its disclosure”.

The PS / Algarve president and deputy, José Graça, also called for “the immediate suspension of campaigns sponsored by Faro Airport, promoting external destinations as an alternative to the Algarve, having contacted the guardianship to express their displeasure”. Rep. Cristóvão Norte (PSD) called the campaign “foolish” and “disrespectful for the Algarve”.

In a statement, the Office of the Minister for Infrastructure and Housing reported that “the Government, as soon as it became aware of the situation [Faro Airport advertising campaign promoting the destination of Marseille], asked ANA for explanations and immediately called for action to remove a publication that is contrary to the interests of the country, the Portuguese and the national economy “. In the same note, it states that “ANA has already made inquiries about what happened and immediately withdrew the connection in question”.

After the chorus of criticism and outrage, the campaign, which was in effect for about a week, was eventually suspended. Contacted by JN, ANA Aeroportos has not commented on the controversy.

 

Calheta, Madeira, 29 July 2019 (Lusa) – A woman, about 50 years old, was murdered at night in her residence in the parish of Jardim do Mar, Calheta municipality, western Madeira, a source said. Volunteer Firefighters of the locality.

According to the corporation commander, the warning was given by the victim’s brother, shortly after 01:00 hrs, and the firefighters deployed an ambulance and two personnel to the site of Piedade.

“When we arrived, the person was already dead, there was nothing left to do,” he said, underlining that the police authorities were informed, and the Judicial Police and the Public Security Police were in place.

The crime was reported to have occurred in the context of domestic violence and was allegedly committed by the victim’s partner, and the manner in which it was committed is unknown.

 

Barreiro, Setúbal, 29 Jul 2019 (Lusa) – Home Affairs Minister Eduardo Cabrita said on Sunday night that the theme of the fires “should not be used for pre-election conflict nor for sterile controversy” and that there should be a union around Civil Protection.

“It is still too early for any balance, but I think more important than that is that all Portuguese know that this year so special [legislative elections] this [fires] is not a theme for pre-election conflict,” defended the ruler. .

Eduardo Cabrita’s remarks were made in Barreiro, during an intervention at the commemorative ceremony of the 125th anniversary of the South and Southeast Volunteer Firefighters Humanitarian Association, which was also attended by the president of the Portuguese Firefighters League, Jaime Marta Soares, and leaders of the structure of the National Civil Protection Authority.

The Minister, who declined to speak to journalists on the side lines of the ceremony, also praised in his speech the success of the “Safe Village Safe People” program, in which ‘fire kits’ were distributed, including the controversial smoke collars. .

“Also on Friday, the Mayor of Silves told me that, in a fire of particular risk, two teams from Aldeia Segura were called by the municipality to prevent what were the risks that were there. This is everyone’s effort. When we say Civil Protection, it’s all of us, he said.

Lisbon, 29 July 2019 (Lusa) – The technician Francisco Ferreira, assistant to the Secretary of State for Civil Protection, resigned today, after being reported to be involved in the selection of companies for the production of emergency kits for the Safe Villages program.

In a note sent to Lusa, the office of the Minister of Internal Affairs reports that “Specialist Francisco José da Costa Ferreira has requested the resignation of his office in the Office of the Secretary of State for Civil Protection”.

The request was accepted by the Secretary of State for Civil Protection, José Artur Neves, adds the same official note.

The Jornal de Notícias writes today that Francisco Ferreira, also president of the PS / Arouca council, recommended companies to purchase 70,000 flammable smoke collars, 15,000 emergency kits with combustible materials and leaflets delivered to 1909 villages. covered by the program.

On Saturday, Home Affairs Minister Eduardo Cabrita ordered an urgent inquiry into the hiring of fire awareness material following news reports on smoke-resistant collars with flammable material distributed under the “Safe Villages” program.

In a statement, the ministry stated that “in light of the news published on contractual aspects regarding awareness-raising material, the Minister of Internal Affairs asked the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority for clarification and called for an urgent inquiry into the General Inspectorate of Administration. Internal ”.

The Jornal de Notícias reported on Friday that 70,000 smoke-free collars made of flammable and uncarbonised treatment, which cost 125,000 euros, were handed over by civil protection under the “Safe Village” and “Safe People” programs.

Lisbon, Jul. 26, 2019 (Lusa) – Portugal’s PSP police force is to ensure the security of critical infrastructures and strategic sectors, such as petrol stations, hypermarkets, airports and power plants, during a strike of heavy goods drivers in August, the force told Lusa.

The security of critical infrastructures and national strategic sectors is one of the measures that the PSP will adopt in the scope of a hauliers’ strike from 12 August.

The PSP is to also provide security escorts to columns of heavy goods vehicles within the framework of minimum or alternative services or with the appropriate means, namely through the intervention corps.

The police said that there will be police officers qualified to drive heavy goods vehicles, and a PSP tanker vehicle (operational logistics vehicle) is to be used to support and reserve the fuel supply for the police vehicles and to support the community if needed.

The PSP will also ensure safety at picket lines and traffic management on the main roads under its area of responsibility.

The PSP will mobilise all its territorial command capabilities for this mission during the drivers’ strike.

The notice of strike of the Independent Union of Merchandise Drivers (SIMM), and the National Union of Dangerous Goods Drivers (SNMMP) proposes minimum services of 25% throughout the national territory.

However, these unions and the haulier association ANTRAM have not agreed on minimum services.