Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 8^th March 2023

 

Good morning – If you think that the number of on-line scams are increasing you are probably right.

Certainly in the last two weeks we have seen a variety of phishing email as well as those sent through SMNS known as “smishing”. This have been sent by fraudsters falsely using the names of many well-known companies and government entities such as: EDP, CTT, the Finances (AT), the Judicial Police, PSF and evening Europol and Interpol. These are the common ones but there are some less common.

Some of these are quite alarming accusing the receiver of the email of watching on-line child pornography or that the person owes a debt of some nature. If you do receive these the first thing is not to panic and pay-up. Why? Because the sending has no evidence of any alleged wrong-doing and it is simply a scam, some computer generated at random.

There is no way that Interpol and Europol are going to contact you directly asking you to pay a fine and the police here in Portugal do not send emails in this way.   If you do receive any of these or something similar it is important not to click on any links or reply. The senders address normally gives this away but some can be very similar to the original. Delete the email and block the sender.

In the case of claimed outstanding debts allegedly from EDP for example, then simply check directly with the company but not using and contact details shown in the message that you receive. These emails can be forwarded in some instances using the contact details of the security departments of the entities concerned. If you have paid, however, and then believe this was a fraud then do report this to police, as not only have you lost money but have probably give the fraudster personal banking information, which they can use to access your bank account in future.

Last night the ANEPC issued a notification to the population concerning heavy rain, winds and rough seas. Safety advice was issued and I would highlight the following: Take special care when travelling and staying near wooded areas, being attentive to the possibility of falling branches and trees, due to stronger wind. Also take special care when driving along riverside areas that are historically more vulnerable to phenomena of overflow of watercourses, preventing the circulation and stay in these places

Adopt defensive driving, reducing speed and taking special care be careful with the possible formation of water on the roads. Do not cross flooded areas, in order to avoid falling into holes or your vehicle being trapped in open sewers. Last night there was dense fog in some parts of the Algarve and IPMA forecast is that this may be repeated again this evening. It is important to monitor weather conditions and warning.

Lastly today is International Women’s Day and we give our thanks to all of those working in the security forces, health services and others providing emergency services on this day.

Have a safe week ahead. From our team at Safe Communities

News

Government recognizes that there is an aging fire engine fleet

Odivelas, Lisbon, 07 March 2023 (Lusa) – The Secretary of State for Civil Protection recognized today that, in many fire brigades in the country, there is an aging vehicle fleet, considering that “greater predictability” is needed in the replacement of older vehicles.

Within the scope of the initiative “Preparing the summer in the winter”, the Government has been meeting with representatives of humanitarian associations and commanders of fire brigades of the 24 Portuguese Intermunicipal communities, in order to clarify existing issues.

After the last meeting, held today in Odivelas, with commanders from the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, Patrícia Gaspar told Lusa that the re-equipment of firefighters, with regard to the fleet of vehicles, was one of the main concerns demonstrated throughout the country.

“In many parts of the country we have an aging vehicle fleet. (…) It is essential to guarantee their replacement”, recognizes the Secretary of State for Civil Protection, without going into detail on these points.

In the last 20 years, the acquisition of “heavier fire-fighting equipment” has been done mainly through community funds, but also with the support of local authorities, explains the official, but Patrícia Gaspar wants to guarantee “greater predictability” in the renovation of the fire department car park.

“What we have to understand from now on is what will be the best instrument, the best way to guarantee greater predictability (…) for fire departments of when and how they will be able to replace older vehicles and acquire new ones”, points out the Secretary of State.

Even so, it underlines the investment in the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) planned for the acquisition of 82 forestry vehicles, destined for 81 fire departments.

Among the issues raised by firefighters in meetings with Internal Administration leaders were the career of the profession and also the permanent financing of corporations.

On this last point, Patrícia Gaspar explains that there is, on the part of the associations, the demand for a “greater increase, especially in the difficult phase we are living in”, given the increase in the cost of living and inflation.

“We believe that over the next year we will be able to stabilize this situation and the guarantee we left is that we will always be on the side of the fire departments”, he says, also admitting the possibility of additional measures to the permanent funding, which this year is budgeted by 31.7 million euros (2 million more than in 2022).

 

Doctors start two-day strike

This Wednesday, doctors start a two-day strike to demand that their careers and salary tables be valued, at a time when unions and the government are in negotiations, but still without an agreement after several inconclusive meetings.

This strike was called by the unions that make up the National Federation of Doctors (FNAM), which also scheduled a rally next to the Ministry of Health, in Lisbon, for this Wednesday, but does not have the support of the Independent Doctors Union (SIM), who distanced himself from the protest, claiming that it is not justified while negotiations with the Government are ongoing.

Among the demands of FNAM is the renegotiation of the medical career and the respective salary scale, which includes a base schedule of 35 hours, optional and increased exclusive dedication and the consideration of the medical internship as the first degree of the career.

The union structure also intends to revise the norms for the organization and discipline of medical work, the replacement of the 25 working days of vacation per year and the additional five days, when they are taken outside the high season, as well as the reduction of the normal working time in the emergency service from 6 pm to 12 pm.

This strike was announced at a time when negotiations are taking place with the Government, with the FNAM claiming that the stoppage is a response “to the lack of commitment, on the part of the Ministry of Health, to negotiate salary scales and the lack of measures to save the SNS”.