Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 11^th December 2024

Good morning everyone. Well at long last has come with temperatures falling just below 0C in areas of the centre and north. However, although colder the temperatures are normal so far for this time of year. As such, unlike the situation in the north and north east of Spain, no low temperature or snow warnings have been raised in Portugal.

However, both the IPMA and Director General of Health have issued cold and health advice to help people, especially the most vulnerable groups such as young children and the elderly which has been echoed by the ANEPC and ourselves on social media. Please follow the advice especially when driving or carrying out physical work outdoors.

Portugal was lucky in that we only experienced relatively minor effects Storm Darragh which caused considerable damage and disruption in the UK resulting in two deaths. Winds of 150 km/h were recorded in Wales, bringing down transmission lines leaving thousands without power. The strong winds also affected France with gusts of up to 159 km/h recorded in Carteret, in La Manche. In Brittany, peaks of over 140 km/h were measured (Ouessant, Groix, Pointe du Raz, etc.). But the record was recorded in the Pyrénées-Orientales: 184 km/h.

A report that captured our attention yesterday, published by the European Environmental Agency (EEA) revealed that in 2022, no less than 240,000 people in Europe died due to a high concentration of fine particles in the air, namely PM2.5 — with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres. This was however less than the previous year and there is a decreasing trend since 2005. (See more in the following press release.)

As I mentioned on KissFM radio last Sunday, It is important to take extra steps to protect your property over the Christmas New Year period. Nothing can ruin the festive spirit faster than becoming a victim of crime. The good news is that many crimes are preventable.

What we are doing at Safe Communities Portugal to draw attention to this, is launching our Twelve Days of Christmas – Crime Prevention Campaign. Based on the song “Twelve Days of Christmas”, the campaign will feature crime prevention tips on our Facebook page starting December 14 (rather than the traditional start date which is December 25) and on Kiss FM Radio. Particularly important are taking common sense crime prevention measure, especially if you are taking a holiday and your property will be empty during this period.

In the lead up to Black Friday and Christmas we have seen an increase in scams/fraud. The main ones are criminals using the name of AT the Finances, EDP and now Social Services. Today Social Security is warning of a new SMS fraud attempt that encourages people to pay “supposed debts”. According to the state entity, the SMS circulates with the following information: ” Sender: Social Security; Entity: 11249; Reference: 506133385 and value: 1469.85 euros “, reads the alert published by Security on the website and social network X (ex-Twitter).

As with all these scams do not click on any links or reply. If you do and have given away personal data to the fraudster, which has resulted in the loss of money, then you should report it to police as soon as possible. We expect these sorts of scam will become more frequent in the lead up to the New Year.

Our team at Safe Communities wish you a safe week ahead.

News

Nearly 240,000 people died in Europe in 2022 due to fine particles in the air

In addition to deaths caused by exposure to fine particles, 70,000 deaths are attributable to exposure to ozone (O3) pollution, mainly due to road traffic and industrial activities.

Air pollution caused by fine particles killed 239,000 people in the European Union (EU) in 2022, a 5% drop in one year, according to a report by the European Environment Agency (EEA).

“At least 239,000 deaths in the EU in 2022 are attributable to exposure to fine particle pollution above the WHO (World Health Organization) recommended concentration of 5 ug/m3,” the Copenhagen-based agency said in a statement.

Italy, Poland and Germany have the highest number of deaths due to fine particles (PM2.5 — with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres, equivalent to one thousandth of a millimetre).

The death toll across Europe is lower than in 2021, when fine particles, which penetrate deep into the lungs, caused the premature deaths of 253,000 people.

This is a confirmed trend: between 2005 and 2022, the number of deaths fell by 45%, the EEA welcomes, considering that this could make it possible to achieve the objective of reducing deaths by 55% by 2030, as foreseen in the EU’s “zero pollution” action plan.

In addition to deaths caused by exposure to fine particles, 70,000 deaths are attributable to exposure to ozone (O3) pollution, mainly due to road traffic and industrial activities.

As for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a gas produced mainly by vehicles and thermoelectric plants, it was responsible for 48,000 premature deaths.

The agency, which does not add up the death toll as it believes this would lead to double counting, stresses that air pollution remains the most significant environmental threat to the health of Europeans.

Scientists warn of risk of Dengue Mosquito in Portugal – Mosquito Alert App

There are an increasing number of mosquitoes of the Aedes albopictus species (which transmit viruses that cause infectious diseases such as dengue fever) in the districts of Lisbon and Faro.

Researchers from the Terra Associated Laboratory warned this Monday about the risks to public health posed by the presence of the ‘Aedes albopictus’ mosquito in Portugal, which can transmit viral diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika.

“The mere presence of these mosquitoes increases the risk of outbreaks of these diseases with direct implications for public health”, says scientist Hugo Osório, from the Terra Associated Laboratory, linked to the Universities of Lisbon and Coimbra, as quoted in a news item on the Terra website.

Invasive mosquitoes of that species transmit the viruses of those diseases if they are infected and their increased presence in Portugal, especially in the regions of Faro and Lisbon, has raised concerns.

Hugo Osório, also linked to the Institute of Environmental Health (ISAMB), explains in the news released today that the species ‘Aedes albopictus’ has a great capacity for adaptation, which facilitates its spread, especially in urban areas such as Lisbon and Faro, where ecological conditions and climatic factors favour its establishment and increase in populations.

César Capinha, also a member of the laboratory and researcher at the Centre for Geographical Studies (CEG), highlights that the establishment of ‘Aedes albopictus’ in the country and its “probable future expansion to other urban areas (…) was predictable”, taking into account “the favourable climatic conditions and (…) accidental dispersal associated with the movement of transport and goods”.

To minimize their proliferation, this researcher considers it crucial to take measures such as “avoiding the accumulation of water in containers that could serve as breeding grounds”, as well as “strengthening monitoring to prevent the introduction of invasive species and intensifying efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions”, which he considers to be one of the main factors currently driving the redistribution of species.

The researcher also believes that “citizen science” can also be a “valuable tool”, by allowing the expansion of mosquitoes to be monitored, contributing to risk assessment and anticipation of possible outbreaks of the diseases they transmit.

With the Mosquito Alert app, available for download on the Play Store and App Store, anyone can photograph a mosquito and send the image. The information is analysed by experts from the National Institute of Health Dr Ricardo Jorge (INSA), who identify the species and confirm the location, returning the result.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details…

The Terra Associated Laboratory brings together more than 450 scientists from five research units at the Universities of Lisbon and Coimbra.

Note: Aedes albopictus has been reported in the following areas: Albania, Austria (not established to date), Belgium (not established to date), Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic (not established to date), France (including Corsica), Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy (including Sardinia, Sicily, Lampedusa, and other islands), Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands (not established to date), Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia (not established to date), Slovakia (not established to date), Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and Vatican City

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 4^th December 2024

Good morning everyone. During the last week or so the emphasis has been very much concerning on-line scams. The PSP Police, Judicial Police and EDP have all given press releases on this topic.  This coincides with Black Friday and Cyber Monday which was the main topic of my KissFM radio feature last Saturday.

The PSP press release was on the subject of telephone scams which included phishing. One of the telephone scams is the scammer sending the victim a text say that a debt needs paying or the service (such as EDP) will be discontinued. Yesterday EDP gave a press bulletin stating that EDP Comercial registered a significant increase in reports by customers of attempted fraud, at various stages of the energy bill payment process and invoking the company’s name with the intention of obtaining a payment, falsely using the name of EDP, reads a note sent to Lusa.

According to data released by the electricity company, from 1^st November up until mid-November, 2,000 fraud attempts were recorded , when in the same month of 2023 1,700 had been reported for the full month. In October there were more than 3,000 fraud attempts, above the approximately 1,800 in the same period of the previous year, that is, an increase of 65%. This is a considerable increase.  Whenever EDP Comercial is informed of a case, it advises the customer to file a fraud complaint with the police and to immediately contact their bank.

Firefighters are protesting again this Tuesday in Lisbon. After a peaceful start, they broke through the police cordon and threw firecrackers and smoke incendiary devices. They are demanding a 200 euro pay raise. Firefighters from all over the country are involved in the protest, between Avenida de Roma and Campus XXI, where the meeting between the Government and the unions representing firefighters is taking place. Among other demands, they are asking for the career to be valued and for more respect for the profession.

As a result the meeting of the various unions with the Government due today was suspended, as government refused to negotiate with firefighters under “coercion” and in the face of a “disorderly” demonstration. This is a great pity as hopefully through negotiations that these important issues can be addressed.

Yet another strike by CP railways has been scheduled for 6^th December. CP – Comboios de Portugal foresees “severe disruptions” to traffic following the general strike scheduled for next Friday, warning of the impact in the days before and after the strike. “Due to a strike called by the SMAQ union [National Union of Portuguese Railway Drivers], major disruptions to traffic are expected on 6 December with an impact on the days before and after”, states a note published on the CP website. For customers who have already purchased tickets to travel on Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, Internacional, InterRegional and Regional trains, CP will allow a refund. (See news item below).

The Braga Official Animal Collection Centre (CRO) will temporarily suspend adoption processes during the Christmas season, specifically between December 14th and January 5th, to “prevent impulsive decisions” when adopting an animal.

In a statement, Braga City Council states that this measure, which has already been applied over previous years, “has as its main objective the promotion of conscious adoptions” and “arises from the need to prevent impulsive decisions often motivated by the festive context and which frequently result in returns or abandonment”. We support this move as it is an unfortunate fact that despite good intentions, impulsive decisions to adopt an animal as a Christmas or birthday present often leads to abandonment later on. Looking after an animal comes with it responsibility by the owner for its well-being, so think carefully before going ahead at any time of the year.

Our team at Safe Communities Portugal wish you a safe week ahead.

News:

CP warns of “strong impact” of general strike scheduled for Friday

CP – Comboios de Portugal foresees “severe disruptions” to traffic following the general strike scheduled for next Friday, warning of the impact in the days before and after the strike. “Due to a strike called by the SMAQ union [National Union of Portuguese Railway Drivers], major disruptions to traffic are expected on 6 December with an impact on the days before and after”, states a note published on the CP website.

This information will be updated if minimum services are defined, states the same note, which also informs customers who have already purchased tickets about the refund conditions.

Therefore, for customers who have already purchased tickets to travel on Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, Internacional, InterRegional and Regional trains, CP will allow a refund of the full value of the ticket purchased, or its free exchange for another train of the same category and in the same class.

Both (refund and exchange) can be made at the ticket offices in myCP, in the “Your tickets” area (for tickets purchased at the Online Ticket Office and CP App) “up to 15 minutes before the train leaves the customer’s station of origin”.

This strike was called by the train drivers’ union due to the Government’s lack of clarification on the relationship between railway accidents and the alcohol level of these workers and to demand adequate safety conditions.

“SMAQ – National Union of Portuguese Railway Drivers has decided to proceed with a general strike notice for December 6, 2024, with impacts on the 5th and 7th, in the seven companies where it is represented: CP – EPE, Fertagus, MTS – Metro do Sul do Tejo, ViaPorto, Captrain, Medway and IP – Infraestruturas de Portugal”, said that structure, in a statement.

At issue are the statements made by the Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, at a press conference after the Council of Ministers on Thursday, in which he stated that “it is not well known, but Portugal has the second worst performance in terms of the number of accidents that occur per kilometre of railway” and that it has “a performance around seven times worse than the first half of European countries”.

97 people drowned until the end of October

The majority of people who died by drowning were men over 40 years old, with most cases occurring during leisure sea bathing, boat fishing and vehicles falling into the water.

Ninety-seven people drowned up until October 31, most of them in water and in unmonitored areas, according to data from the Drowning Observatory report of the Portuguese Federation of Lifeguards (FEPONS).

In a statement released this Tuesday, FEPONS states that in 10 months 97 deaths were recorded, almost all (96.9%) in unmonitored areas and the majority (56.7%) in areas in the interior of the country.

According to FEPONS data, 43.3% of deaths occurred at sea, 29.9% in rivers, 7.2% in wells, 5.2% in dams, and 5.2% in domestic swimming pools.

The majority of people who died by drowning were men (77.3%) over 40 years old (57.7%), with the majority of cases occurring during leisure sea bathing (21.6%), boat fishing (10.3%, due to vehicles falling into the water (4.1%) and recreational fishing for bivalves (4.1%).

Regarding geographical distribution, 14.4% of cases occurred in the Porto district, 13.4% in Setúbal and 11.3% in Lisbon. According to the document, 30.9% of deaths were witnessed with an attempted rescue.

April was the month with the most deaths (26.8%), followed by August (13.4%) and July (11.3%).

The Drowning Observatory is a system created by the Portuguese Federation of Lifeguards to count deaths by drowning in Portugal.

Registration is carried out by links to newspaper clippings or images thereof. This year’s bathing season began on the 1st of May holiday in the municipality of Cascais and in some places in Madeira.

The bathing season of each year is defined in an ordinance published in the Official Gazette, which identifies the bathing waters and the respective season, considering until the publication that at a national level the bathing season runs from 1 May to 30 October. Between these dates, the municipal councils determine when the bathing season begins and ends in their territory, with some opting to start earlier and end later.

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 27th November 2024

Good afternoon. We start this weekly report with the news of two rural fires, an unusual occurrence given that the fire risk was low throughout the country.

The first fire occurred in São Martinho do Porto, Serra da Pescaria in the morning 24th November. At one stage 98 operatives and 28 vehicles were deployed.

The situation was quite complicated with dwellings close by, urban fire vehicles were deployed to protect dwellings. Very high wind gusts exacerbated the situation. João Bonifácio, commander of São Martinho do Porto firefighters, admitted the possibility of the flames having started “in a medium voltage wire that was on the ground next to a eucalyptus plantation”, although the causes of the fire still have to be investigated. Other sources refer to a cable that had fallen due to high winds.

The second of these, the following day, was a fire at a campsite at Piedense Camping Park, Costa da Caparica, resulting in eight people with minor injuries due to smoke inhalation. Of these, two were taken to Hospital Garcial de Orta, in Almada, and six were treated at the scene, refusing transport to the hospital. The Setúbal Judicial Police, responsible for investigating urban fires, will investigate the causes of the fire.

Although the causes need to be verified, it shows that fires can be ignited in low risk conditions as well, so it is prudent to take care especially for example in burning cut and piled waste.

The recent bad weather resulted in 750 incidents mainly as a result of strong winds and heavy rain. Once again the majority were floods and fallen trees, which mainly affected Metropolitan Lisbon, the Coimbra region and Porto. According to Civil Protection Authority, “there were 281 floods, 221 fallen trees, 192 fallen structures, 51 road cleanings and 6 landslides”. It is important therefore to follow the advice of the authorities which we publish on our Facebook page, and avoid if at all possible parking your car under trees especially if they appear in poor condition. As always closely follow the weather forecasts and safety advice from the IPMA and ANEPC to minimize the risk to yourselves and your property.

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, designated on November 25, constitutes a milestone in the fight against violence against women, alerting political decision-makers as well as society as the whole of the various cases of violence against women, namely: cases of abuse or harassment sexual, physical and psychological abuse, and raising awareness of the importance of preventing and combating cases of domestic violence. However this remains one of the highest report crimes in Portugal. This is a public crime and therefore anyone can report this to the authorities, not just the victim. APAV (victim support organisation) is available to help through its various services, namely the Victim Support Line 116 006 – weekdays, from 08:00 to 23:00 – free and confidential call.

Lastly the Christmas fair held at the Museu do Traje in São Brás de Alportel on 24th November, was a great success with over 1000 people attending. A great Christmas atmosphere with plenty of exhibitors. Our stand situated in the Old Gallery was kept very busy with many visitors, with various enquiries ranging from: crime trends and crime prevention, land cleaning; safe residents program, rural fire prevention, recent floods, earthquake and tsunamis.

Others came over just for chat enquiring about our work and we were pleased to receive compliments on our services in providing information and advice. Thank you. A big thank you also to the organisers, Amigos do Museu, of this very successful event.

Our team at Safe Communities Portugal wish everyone a safe week ahead and for our American friends a Happy Thanksgiving.

News

Judicial Police are interviewing suspects of attack on bus in Loures

The Judiciary Police are, this Wednesday afternoon, interviewing several suspects in the attack on a bus in Lisbon that resulted in serious injuries to the driver, who was burned. The PJ is not yet revealing how many people are being interviewed, and is referring to a statement that should be sent later today.

On Wednesday morning, the PJ carried out several search warrants in the municipality of Loures. A source from the PJ confirmed that an investigation operation was launched into the attack on a driver in Santo António dos Cavaleiros.

Few details are yet known. The same source indicates that, once the operation is concluded, the PJ will provide clarification and information on the outcome of the operation.

The suspects are allegedly responsible for the fire and direct attack on a bus in Santo António dos Cavaleiros, in Loures, during the wave of riots generated in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area by the death of Odair Moniz, shot by a PSP agent in the Cova da Moura neighbourhood, in Amadora, about a month ago.

The Carris Metropolitana bus was already empty of passengers when the incident occurred, but the driver, who was still inside, suffered “severe burns to his face, chest and upper limbs”, the PSP said at the time.

Cape Verdean Odair Moniz, 43 years old and resident in the Zambujal neighborhood, in Amadora, was shot by a PSP agent in the early hours of October 21, in the Cova da Moura neighbourhood, in the same municipality, and died shortly afterwards.

In the riots that followed his death, in the following days, more buses, dozens of cars and rubbish bins were set on fire, but the attack that left the driver in a serious condition is the most serious under investigation.

According to the official version of the PSP, Odair Moniz is said to have “fled” by car after seeing a police vehicle and crashed in Cova da Moura, where, when approached by the officers, “he is said to have resisted arrest and tried to attack them with a sharp weapon”.

The SOS Racismo association and the Vida Justa movement contested the police version and demanded a “serious and impartial” investigation to determine responsibilities, considering that what is at stake is “a culture of impunity” in the police force.

Authorities have launched investigations, but no conclusions are yet known.

 

Portugal safety and Security Report 20^th November 2024

Good morning everyone. From 16 to 24 November 2024, the European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR) is marked, dedicated this year to combating food waste, with the motto “Food Waste Is Out Of Taste”. The campaign, seeks to raise awareness in the community about the urgency of reducing food waste, addressing its social, economic and environmental impacts.

At European level, one third of the food produced for human consumption is wasted, and in the European Union alone more than 59 million tonnes of food waste are generated each year. This problem worsens food insecurity, wastes natural resources and increases greenhouse gas emissions, damaging the environment and the climate.

Let this be a reminder for all of us to do our part by reducing the amount of wasted food. Buy only what you need. Plan your meals. Make a shopping list and stick to it, and avoid impulse buys. Not only will you waste less food, you’ll also save money! Store food wisely – move older products to the front of your cupboard or fridge and new ones to the back. Put your food waste to use – instead of throwing away your food scraps, compost them. This way you are giving nutrients back to the soil and reducing your carbon footprint. These are a few ways we can all help.

The recent A Terra Treme awareness exercise which coincided with Tsunami Day 5^th November focuses our attention on being prepared for such disasters however seldom they may occur. Much work is being undertaken on tsunami preparedness and what to should one occur. The Algarve is one of the most vulnerable territories on the Portuguese coast due to the high risk of earthquakes. Loulé City Council, is one of several councils that have a signage project for evacuation routes due to the risk of tsunami for its coast and a plan to raise awareness among the population in this regard.

There are now 140 tsunami evacuation route signs that are now spread across Quarteira/Vilamoura, 13 meeting points were created located outside the floodable area, considered safe places as they are located in higher areas, such as the Church of S. Pedro do Mar, the Drª Francisca de Aragão and Drª Laura Ayres Schools or Papa Francisco avenue. The plan also included 6 siren warning posts, which will be heard in the event of an alert.

Another initiative is being undertaken in Vilamoura; the land being essentially flat, the construction of shelters at a height is planned, especially in the Falésia Beach area, as, “In flat areas, the water spreads much further and it is necessary to walk longer distances to reach higher areas to evacuate.” If you use these areas familiarize yourself with these routes.

We are now approaching Black Friday on 29^th November. Black Friday is famous for big sales and shopping frenzy. It’s also a busy time online, with Salesforce.com reporting increased worldwide online sales hitting a record $40 billion in 2023. Yet, alongside this rise in legitimate transactions, there was a notable increase in fraudulent activity, with reported losses from scams associated with Black Friday and Cyber Monday climbing by 22% from the previous year. These statistics don’t just reflect consumer zeal for deals; they also underscore the period’s vulnerability to cyber threats. Experts forecast the top three scams for this year will be Counterfeit or fake products, Fake ‘winning’ notifications and phishing texts and emails.

Watch out for scam emails that may appear identical to real ones. Are the images copied from a web search? Only send an electronic payment to someone you know or trust.  Ensure your device, browser, and app software are up to date to minimise vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit. Remember, scammers are counting on you to be in a hurry this time of year, and maybe a bit stressed and a little disorganized! Take your time while shopping out there and keep an eye out for their tricks. That extra moment can save you far more time and money than you may think!

Our team at Safe Communities wish you a safety and happy week ahead.