At 11:05 am on Monday, November 5th, the siren warning the population about the risk of tsunami, installed in the Fortaleza de Santa Catarina, and the firefighters siren of Portimão will sound for one minute, to invite the entire population to participate in the public and national exercise of citizenship called “A Terra Treme”.
This exercise is promoted throughout the country by the National Civil Protection Authority, inserted this year as part of the International Day for the Awareness of the Risk of Tsunami. It will last for one minute, aiming to raise awareness of the importance of preparation and self-protection for seismic risk.
The initiative, which takes place nationwide at 11:05 am, calls for the involvement of all citizens, individually or in groups, who are, in this way, invited to perform three self-protection gestures: getting down on their knees, a position that avoids the fall during the earthquake; protect the head and neck with arms and hands, trying to take shelter if possible under a sturdy table; wait in this position for at least one minute.
This awareness and preparation campaign aims to contribute so that, in the event of an earthquake, citizens adopt simple safety behaviors, which can, however, save lives, seeking to promote discussion and learning about how to act before, during and after an earthquake.
“A Terra Treme” is an exercise inspired by the North American ShakeOut model, which will be held for the sixth time in Portugal, with the Municipality of Portimão also joining the initiative for the sixth consecutive time.
In Portimão, at 11:05 am on the 5th of November (Monday), the first sound test of the warning system to the population about the risk of tsunami, whose pilot equipment is installed in the Fortaleza de Santa Catarina, will take place. The siren will sound, thus allowing to validate the operation of this equipment. The usual firefighters siren of Portimão will also sound, signaling the earthquake, and all residents are invited to participate individually or in groups.
This exercise is part of the objectives of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and the work that has even been carried out by the Municipality of Portimão, in the municipal awareness programs “School and Risks… Preparing to Protect!” and “Prepared Elderly!… Most Protected Elderly”, in the context of Education for Risk in our municipality.
The public exercise on November 5th, designed in the event that an earthquake can happen at any time and in any place, has the collaboration and partnership of several companies and entities, including the Municipality of Portimão, and interested parties may find all information at the address www.aterratreme.pt, and also register, officially counting for the total number of participants, in www.aterratreme.pt/como-participar/.
Comments