Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 3rd April 2024
Good morning. We start this with the publication of the crime figures for 2023. According to statistics from the Directorate-General for Justice Policy, crimes recorded by the Portuguese police increased by around 8% last year compared to 2022 and reached the highest levels in 10 years, totalling 371,995 incidents. Although this will inevitably viewed with some concern, figures alone do not tell the whole story, and a deeper analysis will only be possible with the publication of the Annual Internal Security Report (RASI), which should be available in the next few days.
We congratulate the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) on its 17th anniversary (on Monday 1stApril) and all the improvements that have been made over the last 17 years. Major challenges lay ahead resulting from climate change, but Portugal is well prepared as it has a structure in place that works, together with the commitment of all the agents and entities involved that comprise civil protection.
It is with some sadness that we bid farewell to Patricia Gaspar Secretary of State for Civil Protection, who has worked extremely hard in the post for over four years, and has been instrumental, working together closely with the President of the ANEPC General Duarte Costa, in bringing about many of the improvements we have seen over this period. For those who have not met her, she is perhaps one of the most inspirational leaders I have met. With the election of a new Government this has resulted in changes at Ministerial level and also Secretary of States. Patricia Gaspar has given much support to Safe Communities both in her current role and also whilst she was working in the ANEPC headquarters since we met in in 2016. An excellent leader, and with her vast experience in civil protection, including that as an operational commander, we await news of her future. A hard act to follow.
Turning to the weather the 15th storm of the 2023-2024 season has been named OLIVIA, which will directly affect the Azores today Wednesday, April 3rd. Storm OLIVIA is expected to cause a significant increase in wind intensity, with gusts that could reach 110 km/h in the Western Group (Corvo and Flores) and 100 km/h in the Central Group (Pico, Faial, S. Jorge, Graciosa and Terceira). It is expected in the Azores, especially in the Western Islands, that rough seas waves that can reach up to 7m in height and up to 12m in maximum height. Indirectly it will affect Mainland Portugal, some wind, strong sea agitation and change of weather (again) at the weekend. Please monitor the situation through any warning issued by the IPMA and ANEPC, and keep well away from shore lines.
It was reported yesterday that it will cost 14 million euros to replace the sand that “disappeared from Quarteira beach following the storms that affected the Algarve last week”. While most people think of the beach as a place to relax, it has always served a more purposeful role: a buffer against storms. It’s a role that will become even more important as climate change continues to disrupt nature’s delicate balance, inciting sea level rise and stronger, more frequent storms on the coasts. We hope in this case in addition to replacing the sand some innovative solutions can be found to avoid such loses in the future given the more likely occurrence due to extreme weather conditions.
We know that at this time of year many of you are looking to spruce up your garden, greenhouse or window sill, and we are delighted to announce that you will have the opportunity during the forthcoming Plant Fair, which will take place at the Museu do Traje in São Bràs de Alportel, on the 6th of April, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. We are very grateful to Susan Finlay in inviting Safe Communities Portugal to the Fair. Our stand is in the indoor section and we will be available to answer any questions you may have on land cleaning (deadline 30th April), and civil protection, crime prevention and Safe Residence Program matters. We look forward to seeing you at the fair.
Our team at Safe Communities Portugal wishes you a safe and happy week ahead.
News
Google will destroy data relating to millions of users obtained online
Google will destroy millions of users’ data it saved while they browsed online, under the terms of an agreement reached on Monday to end a legal conflict over the confidentiality of personal information.
The class action lawsuit filed in 2020 focuses on the ‘Incognito’ mode in Google’s Chrome browser, which gives users the impression that they are not being followed by the online search conglomerate – wrongly, according to the plaintiffs.
They accuse the worldwide number of those published online and having misled them due to the way Chrome guided people who used this private browsing option.
“The plaintiffs’ efforts allowed them to obtain key confessions from Google employees, including documents where ‘Incognito’ was described as “a lie in practice”, a “problem of professional ethics and elementary honesty” and “a bazaar ripe for confusion”, the lawyers reported in the agreement filed Monday before a San Francisco court.
Google has committed to “immediately” reformulating the information available about ‘Incognito’ mode, to “inform users that it collects private browsing data”.
And the company must block third-party cookies by default in ‘Incognito’ mode — those computer programs used in particular to track users online and target them in advertising. Google has already started the transition to end these highly criticized programs.
Gaia Heliport will have connection to emergency and intensive medicine in 20 seconds
The Gaia Espinho Local Health Unit heliport, which can operate at night, is being built on top of a five-story building, where the emergency department is located, as well as the intensive care and neurocritical care units.
The Gaia hospital helipad is being installed on top of a building with elevators that will allow the patient to be taken to the emergency room or intensive medicine in around 20 seconds, it was announced this Tuesday.
The project, budgeted at almost 1.5 million euros, received a favourable opinion from the National Civil Aviation Authority in July last year, a source from the Gaia Espinho Local Health Unit (ULSGE) revealed to Lusa.
“The helipad will be installed at the top of the building where the critical patient treatment area is located, which allows quick vertical access, via elevators: after landing, it will take no more than 20 seconds to reach the Emergency Room or Service of Intensive Medicine” , described the source about the work, which started at the end of March.
Currently, a patient who has to be helitransported to the Santos Silva Hospital, in Vila Nova de Gaia, arrives at the Serra do Pilar Barracks track, next to the Luís I bridge, and then has to face traffic constraints to reach the hospital unit in ambulance
The ULSGE heliport, which can operate at night, is being built on top of a five-story building, where the emergency department is located, as well as the intensive care and neurocritical care units.
The works are taking place on the roof “without causing constraints on the services” installed in the building that houses, for example, the maternity ward, guaranteed ULSGE.