Experts from the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism visited Portimão, last Monday, 23 September, to assess the capacity to respond to disaster management.
The Peer Review Team (peer-review) of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism was received by Isilda Gomes, mayor of Portimão, on the premises of the Municipal Civil Protection Center of Portimão, in the presence of the entire structure of the Municipal Civil Protection Service, director of the Humanitarian Association of Voluntary Firefighters of Portimão, as well as the command structure and staff of the Portimão Fire Department.
Composed of a dozen international experts from different Member States, the delegation sought to assess the Portuguese response capacity in disaster management, analyzing the entire cycle of emergency, from prevention to preparedness, passing through response and rehabilitation, with a special focus on risks of rural fires, earthquakes/tsunamis and accidents in establishments with hazardous materials.
In this regard, the municipality says that “data was shared on the human and financial effort that has been made throughout the municipality of Portimão, with the objective of mitigating collective risks, with special emphasis on rural fires, where awareness is raised. populations and structural prevention work have gained great prominence in recent years».
“The preparation of human resources, qualifying them to respond to exceptional situations, was also a dominant theme throughout the working day,” he adds.
With regard to the risk of earthquake and tsunami, the program started in 2016 was presented, which has been preparing the implementation, in the coastal areas of Portimão, of a warning system by sirens which, in a financial and technical effort, intends to evolve already this year.
In general, the debate and the sharing of good practices among Member States dominated, and the significant progress of the work already carried out in Portimão, in the scope of civil protection, was highlighted.
The day also made it possible to publicize the pioneering program of municipal civil protection within the scope of Automatic External Defibrillation (DAE), which already has more than 150 security forces (PSP, GNR and Maritime Police) operated by the Fire Department of Portimão, as well as the equipment already acquired by the local authority that allow these entities to be equipped with the necessary capacity to provide first-line assistance to citizens who are victims of cardiorespiratory arrest.
In the coming days, six community booths will be placed on the public road, in strategic locations in the municipality, which will help to save lives at the right time.
Finally, the group of experts visited the Fire Brigade, whose expansion and requalification is financed by the European Union with the national contribution of the Portimão Chamber.
There, it was possible for everyone to see an exhibition of all the facilities and equipment available for the protection and help of people from Portimão and tourists.
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