Year: 2019

The European Union regretted that it failed to provide any support to Portugal against the fires of October 2017, when Lisbon appealed desperately for help.

“One of the most painful situations in my life was to have no response to Portugal,” the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid, Crisis Management and Civil Protection, Christos Stylianides, told Portuguese journalists this Monday (8th July 2019) in Madrid, who described those “difficult times” between October 15 and 17, 2017, which killed 50 people and burned more than 50,000 hectares.

It is noteworthy that Portugal launched an appeal to Brussels on Sunday, October 15, for air support to the various fires in the centre and north of the country, but only on Wednesday, October 18, the first aircraft arrived.

The Cypriot commissioner said that he had telephoned each of the leaders with the protection of the Civil Protection of the countries of the European Union, but that some responded that they needed their resources in their own countries and that others admitted they had not mobilised them at that time. “My anguish at the responses of the other ministers, saying they had no air assets …,” he lamented.

Also in Madrid, where he explained the partnership of the Emergency Response Coordination Center (CEMR) with the Spanish authorities, Johannes Luchner, Director of the Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations Office of the European Union (DG ECHO), – the congener European Commission of the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC) – assumed that “in 2017 we did not have enough means”. “I was not going to forget it,” he said.

Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission (EC), lamented at the time the lack of solidarity with Portugal when it learned of the denials received by the then Minister of Internal Affairs, Constança Urbano de Sousa.

In a debate on the European Council in Strasbourg a week later, Juncker turned away from the main subject to address the Portuguese tragedy: “It is not normal that when a fire is declared on a Sunday morning in Portugal, we have to wait until Wednesday “We have to speed up the process.”

“It is obvious, necessary and basic that the European Union should come to the aid of those who are suffering. That is why I have commissioned Commissioner Stylianides to reflect, within a month, and in any case until the end of the year, on the in a new articulation of our civil protection mechanisms that are not working at a hundred percent, “he said.

By October 2017, Portugal had already dispensed part of its aerial fire-fighting facilities, some of them having terminated the contracts, others because the fires occurred when the device was no longer at a level that allegedly justified having aircraft ready.

The RescuEU system gained momentum not only with the fires in Portugal during 2017 but also with those that occurred in Greece in 2018, where 102 people died

The EU subsequently strengthened its response capacities through the following measures:

• Establish, in collaboration with Member States, a common European reserve of capacities to respond to disasters. Such capacities would include firefighting planes, as well as other means to respond to situations such as medical emergencies or chemical biological radiological and nuclear incidents;
• Co-finance the operational costs of rescEU capacities when used for the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism operations;
• Co-finance the development of rescEU capacities;
• Increase financial support for capacities registered in the European Civil Protection Pool, including for adaptation, repair, operational costs (inside the EU) and transport costs (outside the EU).

It is true that summer as we knew is not the same so far this year.. And if in July you would expect warmer days, clear skies and no precipitation, weather forecasts show that will not be so in the coming days.

As of Tuesday 9th, however, the maximum temperatures will increase, between two to five degrees, from north to south, reaching 37 degrees in some areas of the country. But the weather will remain damp. An unusual scenario for this time of year, stresses the meteorologist of the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) Ricardo Tavares, DN.

According to the IPMA forecasts, this weekend will still be a shower in some localities and cloudy in the coast of mainland Portugal. A scenario that may last until Monday, due to a “depression that will pass through the continent” on this day.

Until then, maximum temperatures should remain mild, ranging from 22 (Aveiro) to 30 (Bragança), and the minimum between 14 (Viseu) and 17 in almost all regions of mainland Portugal. On the islands, the maximum temperature will vary between 24 and 27 degrees, with precipitation recorded.

However, it is from Wednesday that will feel the heat throughout the continental region, with the maximum reaching 37 degrees in areas such as Castelo Branco and Santarém. Lisbon will reach 30 degrees, Porto at 29, Évora at 36 and Faro at 29. In the archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira, it should not exceed 26 degrees.

According to meteorologist Ricardo Tavares, these temperatures are “normal” for the height of the year, but not the humidity that has been felt in recent weeks and that should be prolonged in the next.

The municipalities of Mogadouro, in the district of Bragança, and Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, in Guarda, present this Saturday a maximum risk of fire, according to the IPMA. There are also more than 50 municipalities in the districts of Faro, Santarém, Portalegre, Castelo Branco, Leiria, Viseu, Vila Real and Bragança at very high risk of fire.

The fire risk determined by the IPMA has five levels, ranging from reduced to maximum, being the third highest level. Calculations for this risk are obtained from air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and amount of precipitation in the last 24 hours.

Mainland Portugal and the archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores also have a very high risk of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation during this weekend. Due to the very high risk of exposure to UV radiation throughout the country, the IPMA recommends the use of sunglasses with UV filter, hat, t-shirt, sun umbrella, sunscreen and prevent children from sun exposure.

 

The National Commission for Civil Protection (CNPC), chaired by the Secretary of State for Civil Protection, José Artur Neves, met yesterday, July 4, 2019, at the headquarters of the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC).

The results of the meeting include the approval of a set of Civil Protection Emergency Plans, of different levels and typologies, which aim to contribute to a better preparation in the response to major accidents and disasters.

Within the scope of the National Strategy for Preventive Civil Protection (ENPCP), approved by the Council of Ministers on October 31, 2017, and with the aim of emphasizing the preventive aspect of civil protection as a determining factor for the constitution of a more resilient society, the regulation of the Prize for Recognition of Good Practices in Resilience Promotion was also approved, aiming to highlight the work carried out by the Municipalities and / or Parishes in this area.

In accordance with the operational objectives of ENPCP and considering the publication of Decree-Law no. 2/2019, of January 11, establishing the National System of Monitoring and Communication of Risk, Special Alert and Notice to the Population, were also approved two guiding Standards i) for the installation of standardized signs for the risk of tsunami and rupture of dams and ii) for the operation of warning systems to the population by sound signals, resulting from the work developed by ANEPC, in articulation with the Portuguese Agency Environment and the Directorate-General of the Maritime Authority.

The National Civil Protection Commission also took note of the update of the National Risk Assessment, prepared in accordance with the guidelines issued by the European Commission and in line with that recommended by Decision 1313/2013 / EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 of December 2013, which is assumed as a strategic document for risk management at the national level, contributing to the planning and organization of responses to major accidents and disasters. This Assessment takes into account the effects of climate change on risks.

The form for post-earthquake damage assessment in current buildings was also presented, which resulted from the joint effort of several entities that collaborated with ANEPC in the framework of the activities of the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction

The importance of the safety of the foreign community and overseas tourists was highlighted by the Minister for Internal Administration Eduardo Cabrita, during the presentation of the “Safe Summer” program held at the Regional Tourism Algarve (RTA) Faro Headquarters on 22^nd June.

To reinforce this message, the Secretary of State for Internal Administration Isabel Oneto gave an overview of the Local Security Contracts (CLS) and highlighted the important work undertaken by Safe Communities Portugal (SCP) as part of this program. She stressed the importance of the community and the security forces working together in maintaining the Algarve as a safe destination.

A protocol was then signed by the Secretary of State and David Thomas President SCP outlining new initiatives regarding security in the Algarve which the two parties will develop over the next 12 months.

Following on from last year, Safe Communities has proposed a number of new initiatives which were agreed by the Ministry and incorporated into the new protocol.

These will include projects such as the development of crime prevention leaflets in additional languages to reach out to tourists through tourist information centres throughout the region. This will be reinforced by videos and several displays such as those held at Mar shopping and Faro Airport earlier.

There will also be a project to encourage people to report suspicious activities and crime as well as a project involve students understanding the work of the police.

David Thomas President of Safe Communities Portugal stated “I am very pleased to be able to sign this protocol at such an important event. We have consistently stressed the importance of everyone working together not only to help reduce crime, but also to convey important messages concerning to the prevention and protection of the population against rural fires as mentioned by the Minister”.

He added “We have been able to reflect the views of the foreign community to Government both concerning civil protection and security matters and it is encouraging that these views have been heard and acted upon, in developing projects that benefit both residents and tourists alike”.

Eleven people, including five doctors and one pharmacy owner, were detained on Tuesday 2^nd July by the Polícia Judiciária force, as part of a major operation launched early in the morning across the country, the PJ has revealed.

In a statement, the PJ said that the operation involved searches in doctors’ surgeries and health units, residences and other premises, and the fulfillment of arrest warrants related to “facts that may constitute … the crimes of corruption, serious fraud, documents forgery and criminal association.”

The suspected potential damages caused to the National Health Service (SNS), according to the PJ, is estimated at €1 million.

“At issue are several acts, consisting of the issuing of manual prescriptions, using the existing exceptions … which allow them to be 100% subsidised by the SNS, in addition to digital revenues, of very high values and with numerous units prescribed,” the PJ said.

According to the same statement, “drug prescription scenarios were created, not in line with the applicable legislation, which may imply the acceptance of advantages in forms liable to criminal responsibility, with the Portuguese state damaged, for the subsidising of medicines being misallocated.”

The operation was carried out by the PJ’s National Anti-Corruption Unit (UNCC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, as part of a drive to combat fraud to the SNS.

A total of 110 PJ inspectors were involved, along with various members of staff from the ministry and the organisation “Infarmed”, the medicines regulator. A total of 30 search warrants and 11 arrest warrants were issued.

The work is being monitored by three public prosecutors from Sintra’s Department of Investigation and Criminal Action (DIAP), in the presence of two judges from the Sintra circuit court.

The detainees – five doctors, one pharmacy owner, and five other people – are aged 40 to 79. They are to be brought before a judge for initial interrogation and the application of any remand or bail conditions.

 

In June, the average number of calls made at the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) skyrocketed. On certain days, there were periods when operators took, on average, six and eight minutes to answer the phones, when the recommended number is seven seconds. In the same month, almost ten thousand calls were lost and only half were recovered.

Internal data from INEM obtained by the Jornel de Noticais (JN) reveal many problems in the Urgent Patient Guidance Centers (CODU). First of all, serious shortages of human resources. Practically every day there are fewer pre-hospital emergency technicians (TEPHs) in service.

According to the information to which the JN had access, on June 21, Friday after the Corpo de Deus holiday, between 10.30 and 11.00, the operators took an average of six minutes to answer the calls transferred by the exchange 112. On the 24th, St. John’s Day in Porto, between 10.00 am and 10.30 am, the average time was eight minutes.

In response to the JN, INEM clarified that these are “service peaks”, “that represent exceptions to the punctual service which is the performance of the CODU”.

However, throughout the month, there are several examples that point to many difficulties. On day 2, the three CODUs (Porto, Coimbra and Lisbon) answered a total of 3465 calls, with an average service time of 217 seconds (3.6 minutes).

That day when there was less TEPHs at the service (64 when the average of the month is 70). On the same day 2, a total of 1716 calls were disconnected at the origin and the call-back system only retrieved 28% of the contacts. The next day, 1124 calls were lost and 25% were recovered.

Not all outgoing calls at the source are unresponsive emergencies. The INEM explains that some are to ask if the ambulance is delayed, others are turned off because the caller realizes that someone has already called INEM and there are also abusive uses.

Between 1 and 24 June, of the 89 215 calls answered, 9805 were turned off before the operator answered and only 49% were retrieved. About the remaining 51% no one knows the purpose they had.

It is claimed that with a deficit of more than 400 TEPHs, the coverage does not stretch. Professionals are lacking in CODU and in ambulances. As a result, call waiting times increase, thousands are lost in the middle, and the inoperability of the means grows.

The numbers are not surprising to the vice president of the Pre-Hospital Emergency Workers’ Union (STEPH). And July and August “will be worse, both at media level and at CODU level,” predicts Rui Lázaro.

July and August can worsen

INEM guarantees that in the CODU “the scales will be as complete as possible” and stated the recent authorization of the Government that allows workers to work up to 80% of their base remuneration.

Rui Lázaro is not so optimistic. The scales of this month already indicate problems. The CODU Norte has, on average, 15 scheduled operators per shift, when the minimum is 19, says the STEPH leader. Of those, it remains to be seen how many will actually be present because there are always unpredictable shortages and “last-minute changes to open up means that are inoperative.” It should be noted that the TEPH can work both in the CODU and in the INEM.

In the ambulances, the July scales are also lacking. The ambulance Porto 1 (in Rua de Faria Guimarães) “has already closed the night shift” and of the 62 planned, has 12 assured.

For Rui Lázaro, in addition to the shortage of TEPH, there is growing dissatisfaction among professionals with a recent schedule, which is increasing the unavailability of technicians to work overtime.

Starting today until 30^th September, Portugal is in the Critical Fire Period. This means we need to reinforce all our efforts to prevent fires.

Regardless of the actual fire risk in your area the following applies:

Burning for grassland renewal, cleaning stubble or debris that is uncut or cut on the ground, but NOT in piles, is not permitted

The burning of piled-up waste is not permitted

The use of stoves, BBQs and grills is prohibited in all rural spaces, except where used outside of the critical areas and in places duly authorised for the purpose. Please note that BBQs are permitted in private gardens, but the owner is liable should the BBQ catch fire to surrounding vegetation.

Smoking and all types of naked flames are prohibited in woodland and forests.

Balloons with a lit fuse and rockets are prohibited. Fireworks are only permitted subject to authorisation from the Municipal Council.

Fumigating and pest control in apiaries are prohibited except where the fumigators are fitted with spark retention devices.

Spark retention devices and flame covers must be used on exhaust pipes and chimneys of machinery with internal or external combustion engines and on heavy transport vehicles. One or two 6 kg fire extinguishers must be carried depending on whether the maximum weight is less or more than ten tonnes

In addition to the above the emergency services have been reinforced in order to help prevent fires and protect the population should a fire occur.

The investigation and fight against forest fires are being strengthened by uniting the Portuguese regions of Alentejo and Algarve and the Spanish of Andalusia in a cross-border project worth 24.6 million euro.

The project, called CILIFO – Iberian Center for Research and Fighting Forest Fires, involves 15 institutions and bodies of the Euro region Andalusia-Algarve-Alentejo, as well as specialized agencies, municipalities and universities.

One of the Portuguese partners, the only one in the Alentejo, is the University of Évora, which on 1^st July was the venue of the public presentation and the launching of CILIFO.

Research and strengthening of cooperation between universities and civil protection systems in support of forest fire prevention and control in Andalusia and southern Portugal are at the heart of the project, which includes a common research, training and awareness-raising plan to be developed in the three regions, indicated UÉ.

The researcher responsible for the project at UÉ, Rui Salgado, explained to Lusa that CILIFO has a financing of 24.6 million euros, being co-financed at 75% by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the Program of Cooperation INTERREG VA Spain-Portugal (POCTEP) 2014-2020.

What triggered the launch of the initiative, whose candidature was approved last year, despite the actions started this year, had to do with the fires and “tragedies” that occurred in Portugal in 2017, he stressed.

Since then, “in Portugal, there have been many entities concerned with fires, they have opened different programs for projects” in this area and “it was created in the public opinion, but also in the institutions the need to intensify the fight” to the fires he said.

But he continued, to that end, “there was a need to improve the investigation, to know better how it is going to be combated, and also to take into account that the current conditions, especially from a climate point of view, are different” nowadays, so that climate change is a variable to be considered “in strategies for the prevention and fight against fires”.

According to Rui Salgado, “a large part of the funding” will be applied to infrastructures, such as the creation of CILIFO, which will be in Huelva, Andalusia, and the “training to combat forest fires of the operational ones”, as well as “in awareness of populations and students to a set of measures they can take “to prevent fires.

CILIFO “also has an important component in the area of ​​research” and this “will be the main work” of the UÉ, through three research centres, he said.

The Institutes of Earth Sciences (with specialists in remote sensing, meteorology and climate) and Agrarian and Mediterranean Environmental Sciences (forest engineering, forest fires and remote sensing) and the Centre for Research in Mathematics and Applications (mathematical modeling of support, particularly fire prevention) are the units.

“Three years is some time, but it is not much,” admitted Rui Salgado, regarding the duration of the project, assuming that, in the end, the goal is for the center to be set up in Huelva, for the network of connections between partners to be extended and that the research to be carried out in the EUS will allow a “qualitative leap” to help “forestall better” forest fires.

The main beneficiary of CILIFO is the Junta de Andalucia. The other Spanish participants are the Andalusian Environment and Water Agency, the State Agency for Scientific Research – Doñana Biological Station, the Once and Finnova foundations, the National Institute for Agricultural Research and Technology and Food and the universities of Cadiz, Córdoba and Huelva.

On the Portuguese side, besides the Alentejo University, the Intermunicipal Community of Algarve and the municipal councils of Castro Marim, Loulé, Monchique and Tavira, in the district of Faro are partners of the project.

 

The number of foreigners living in Portugal increased by 13.8% in 2018 to a total of 480,300, just under 5% of the total population, the highest number since the foreigner and border service was set up in 1976, it said in a report issued on Friday.

The agency’s 2018 report said this was the third year in a row that the number of foreigners in the country had increased, particularly Italians, who increased by 45.9% compared to 2017, and now number 18,862.

Brazilians, however, continue to be the largest foreign community with 105,423 nationals, representing more than a fifth of all foreigners in Portugal.

The report also said that French nationals are also increasing in number and there are now 19,771, which is a 29.1% rise compared to the previous year.

Ukrainians are the only ones whose numbers are falling, with a 10% reduction last year to a total of 29.000.

According to the foreigners and border service more than two-thirds of the foreign population (68.9%) lived in and around Lisbon, Faro (77,489) and Setubal (40,209).

On 25^th June the Judiciary Police and the Tax Authority, through the National Anti-Corruption Unit (UNCC) and the Directorate of Fraud Investigation and Special Action Services (DSIFAE), respectively, carried 50 home searches and made 14 detentions, on suspicion of criminal association, qualified tax fraud and money laundering, in a criminal case whose investigation is conducted by the Department of Criminal Investigation and Action of Lisbon.

The detainees, aged between 20 and 77, are suspected of belonging to an organized network which, since at least 2017, engaged in intra-Community VAT fraud in the acquisition of telecommunications equipment.

For this purpose they used the formation of successive one-person companies without any real activity and subsequent billing, without VAT being paid to the state’s coffers. The assessed loss is in excess of 6.5 million euros.

The criminal activity of this organized network was boosted by the use of the online sales platforms of the largest national companies in the sector, allowing them to obtain an exposure and sales volume that otherwise would not have reached them.

The detainees will be present at the Court of Criminal Investigation of Lisbon during the day of tomorrow, for first judicial interrogation and application of coercion measures.