Category: Uncategorized

 

A 45-year-old man died today 18th September 2022 after allegedly feeling unwell when entering the water, going into cardiac arrest, at Praia da Saúde, in Costa da Caparica, in the district of Setúbal, the National Maritime Authority (AMN) reported.

In a statement, the AMN clarified that the alert was given at 1:30 pm, with elements of the Lisbon Maritime Police Local Command, the Emergency and Reanimation Medical Vehicle of the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) and members of the Volunteer Firefighters.

“The victim, a 45-year-old man, was pulled out of the water alive by lifeguards on the beach, having gone into cardiorespiratory arrest upon arrival at the beach,” says the same note.

According to the AMN, resuscitation was performed without success, and the death was declared on the spot by the INEM doctor.

The body was transported by the Volunteer Firefighters of Cacilhas to the morgue of Hospital Garcia da Orta.

 

Rural fire Medronheira, Odemira

Incêndio:Bush

N.º Oc. 2022020023633

UPDATE: 1730 HRS

Fire now under conclusion. All roads re-open

Deployment 211 operatives supported by 76 vehicles.

UPDATE 0700 hrs

The fire was brought under resolution at 0225 hrs, meaning that it is under control.

As at 0700 hrs a total of 254 operatives supported by 89 vehicles remain deployed.

UPDATE: 22.20 HRS

Deployment 259 operatives supported by 92 vehicles.

n a new report to Lusa, at 8:30 pm, the mayor Hélder Guerreiro indicated that he was aware of a total of 13 people removed from their homes , only “for prevention”, including the first seven. Furthermore, “15 people left a tourist accommodation” only and only “on their own initiative”.

All these people, whether those who were withdrawn or those who left voluntarily, went “to the homes of family members or to their own homes”, since “no one is” in the pavilion of Escola EB2,3 in São Teotónio, prepared to welcome the displaced, stressed the mayor.

Contacted by Lusa, after 8:15 pm, a source from the national relief operations command of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), explained that “the fire still has two active fronts”. The fire “burns with moderate intensity, we are proceeding with the repositioning of some means that have been arriving in the meantime”, she added. At 8:44 pm, there were 240 operational personnel and 84 vehicles, with the air assets having already left the theatre of operations.

The same ANEPC source said he hoped that, “during the night, the means that have just arrived in the theatre of operations” can be repositioned so that, eventually, it is possible to “control the fire ”.

UPDATE: 1945 hrs

Deployment is now 257 operatives supported by 84 vehicles and 5 aircraft.

UPDATE 1715 hrs

Deployment 225 operatives supported by 74 vehicles and 8 aircraft

Two families, a total of seven people, were “preventively removed” from their homes, in the area where the fire is raging in the municipality of Odemira (Beja), and taken to São Teotónio, the mayor told Lusa news agency.

“People were removed preventively. There were two families, representing seven people”, explained the mayor, Hélder Guerreiro, to Lusa, at 16:45.

The seven people were taken to the pavilion of Escola EB2,3 in São Teotónio, which “is ready to receive” residents who need to be removed from their homes due to the fire.

“It is [the place] that is prepared to receive people, with food, a place to stay, everything”, stressed the mayor.

According to Hélder Guerreiro, “for now, there is no indication of burned houses”, only of “evacuations that had to be carried out in a preventive way”.

The mayor also said that National Road 120 (EN120), which connects Odemira to the Algarve, “is interrupted on the section between Boavista dos Pinheiros and São Teotónio”.

Contacted by Lusa, a source from the GNR’s Beja Territorial Command, confirmed the removal of seven people from a place “called Ourada” to São Teotónio.

And the cut to traffic on the EN120, because “the fire is right next to the road” and it was necessary to “guarantee a safety perimeter and cut” the road.

“Alternative roads are Estada Municipal 502-1 and 502-2, on the São Teotónio side”, while “on the Boavista dos Pinheiros side, the alternative is the vicinal road 1-9” informed the GNR.

UPDATE 1700 HRs

Deployment 199 operatives supported by 67 vehicles and 8 aircraft.

As forecast earlier the wind has decreased considerably.

Comment

With a rain front moving into the Algarve heading generally north east with short and heavy showers, it will be interesting to see whether this reaches the fire area and if so the affect. Latest ACCU weather map in comments.

UPDATE 1600 hrs

Deployment 136 operatives supported by 43 vehicles and 10 aircraft.

The fire that has been burning for three hours in the municipality of Odemira (Beja) has two active fronts and is evolving “with some intensity”, due to the wind, with some scattered houses, Civil Protection told Lusa.

According to a source from the National Operations Command of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), contacted by Lusa at 14:50, “there are some sensitive points” in the area “where the fire is evolving”, which are precisely “some scattered dwellings”.

“At the moment, we are not aware of homes that have to be evacuated, however, there are means that are already dispersed across these sensitive points to prevent and protect them,” he said.

The same source explained that the fire, whose alert was given at 12:05 and which broke out in the Medronheira area, in the parish of São Teotónio, Odemira, “is active and burning with some intensity in an area of ​​bush, cork oak and eucalyptus trees” .

“It is a fire that, at the moment, is developing with two active fronts”, he said, referring that, at that time, 149 operational personnel, 10 air assets and 41 support vehicles were involved .

This device is being reinforced with “means from Setúbal, Évora and Faro, which are on their way to the site”, he added.

n that area “some wind can be felt” and this factor has been what “is making the fight difficult”, because, despite being a mountain area, “it is not very high” and even “has good access”.

Also contacted by Lusa, the mayor of Odemira, Hélder Guerreiro, confirmed that the area affected by the fire “has some scattered dwellings”, but, in case it is necessary to proceed with evacuations, “there is already a pavilion in São Teotónio on standby” .

“And we have all the means ready so that, if something happens, we can act”, he said, stressing, however, that, until now, “it was not necessary to evacuate houses”.

SITERP 1500 hrs 18th September 2022

Deployment 149 operatives supported by 41 vehicles and 10 aircraft

A total of 116 operatives and eight air assets were fighting, at 1:49 pm, a fire in the Medronheira area, in the municipality of Odemira, according to the Civil Protection website.

The location of the fire is about 3 kms east north east of the town of São Teotónio and about 15 kms north of the border with Faro District (Algarve)

According to the website of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), the fire alert, in a wooded area, in Medronheira, in the parish of S. Teotónio, Odemira, Beja district, was given at 12:05.

In addition to the flames being fought by 149 operatives, they are supported by 41 ground vehicles, 10 aircraft.

Wind in the area for 1500 hrs is forecast by 1pMA at 15 km/h gusting to 40 km/h from the south east but decreasing considerably by 1700 hrs before picking up again later tonight. Air temperature 32.1C.

The high winds will aggravate the fire fighting.

Contacted by the Lusa agency, around 1:30 pm, the District Relief Operations Command of Beja (CDOS) sent further clarifications on this fire, as it was mobilizing resources to the site.

Earlier a CDOS source told Lusa that the flames were raging in an “area of bush and fruit trees”.

 

The districts are: Beja, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisbon, Portalegre, Santarem and Setubal

Rain warning:

“Showers at times heavy, which may be hail and accompanied by thunderstorms and gusts”

Thunderstorm warning:

“Thunderstorms and showers, which could be hail, and accompanied by gusts”

The IPMA forecast for this period is: At the beginning of the week, the mainland will be under the influence of an east or south current, associated with the circulation induced by depression to the southwest or south of the Iberian Peninsula. Showers are expected, especially in the Central and Southern regions on the 19, 20 and 21, which may be accompanied by thunderstorms, still with some uncertainty associated typical of these weather patterns.

ADVICE

FROM FIRE TO FLOODS

With heavy rain falling on burned land (from recent wild fires) debris flows are possible. These are fast-moving, deadly landslides.

They are powerful mixtures of mud, rocks, boulders, entire trees – and sometimes, homes or vehicles. You’ll often hear “debris flows” called “mudslides” or “mudflows”. Many people use the terms interchangeably, but to scientists, each is a different kind of landslide and debris flows are the most powerful and dangerous of the three. If you live downslope from burned area we suggest you are a\ware of the risk, by reading this article here.

https://www.weather.gov/bou/floodafterfire…

 

After a devastating summer with thousands of hectares of forest lost in Europe due forest fires, the European Commission is organising a high level meeting to already work on preparedness measures for next year.

Ministers responsible for Civil Protection in the EU member states and participating states of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism will meet today in Brussels for the High-Level Emergency Response Coordination Meeting, in close cooperation with the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič said: “Even though we are not yet at the end of the summer, it is already clear that this is a record-breaking forest fires season for the EU. Wild forest fires have become a pan-European concern, affecting all of us. While our emergency services are still active in monitoring and containing fires, as political decision-makers we have to look to the future now and take swift and strong political commitments to do more both at national and EU level to enhance the EU’s preparedness for future fire seasons to prevent the worst.”

This year the EU Civil Protection Mechanism has been activated 11 times for wildfires across Europe and thanks to the unprecedented solidarity from Member States, the Emergency Response Coordination Centre coordinated 33 deployments of firefighting planes and 8 deployments of helicopters.

Thanks to the rescue fleet, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism has responded promptly and effectively to most of the requests made this year, providing immediate and effective support whenever capacities were available. In addition, the EU’s emergency Copernicus satellite continues to provide damage assessment maps of the affected areas.

Reported: 1637 hrs 7th July 2022

Num. Oc. 2022140040647

Forest Settlement

UPDATE: 0900 hrs Friday 8th July 2022

The bush fire in the parish of Freixianda, municipality of Ourém, that broke out on Thursday continues to be active.

As at 0831 hrs on Friday 8th July 504 operatives supported by 151 vehicles and five helicopters/fixed wing aircraft are deployed according to the Civil Protection page. Two INEM Immediate Life Support Ambulances and a crawler machine are also deployed on site.

Last night the District Command of Relief Operations (CDOS) of Santarém confirmed to Notícias ao Minuto that the fire was raging with “intensity”.

The fire has caused three minor injuries, including two firefighters, one with minor burns and the other with signs of exhaustion, as well as a woman who suffered a panic attack.

Last night the fire has an active front and is a reason for “concern” because it has already managed to enter the town of Abades. According to the operations commander, the fire is raging with “less intensity, but still with projections reaching 500 and 600 meters”.

District Relief Operations Command (CDOS) confirmed that the line of fire already extends for a few kilometres. Ramalheira, Casal do Pinheiro and Casal da Sobreira, belonging to the Union of Parishes of Freixianda, Ribeira do Fárrio and Formigais, are the villages closest to the fire, but so far no evacuations made.

“The fire remains very active on a single front. The whole of it is developing in pine forest. Occasionally, projections appear, but not with the same intensity as in the afternoon period [on Thursday]”, said a source from the Command District of Relief Operations ( CDOS ) of Santarém .

According to the Santarém CDOS, at 00:00, the “main concern is related to the protection of dwellings that are in the line of fire”.

“There are homes at risk because there are several hamlets and some isolated houses along this fire line”, he said, saying that “there is no forecast for when the fire will diminished in intensity”.

Last night the authorities also have done the full road closure of a municipal road, between Areeiro and Abades, which will be “open in the short term”.

Damages to a house in Abades by an explosion of a gas cylinder – not knowing if it is directly related to the fire – which did not cause any casualties and a fire in a shed that was hit by the fire in the locality of Ramalheira.

A source from the firefighters told CNN Portugal that one house and two sheds have already burned down and that there are more houses at risk.

Speaking to CNN Portugal, the Santarém District Center for Relief Operations (CDOS) reported that resources are still being mobilized and that the fire is taking place in a forested area, with some scattered homes.

 

112 – The European Emergency Call Number

 

Recently I was privileged to visit one of the four 112 Emergency call centres in Portugal. The one I visited was in Lisbon serving the mainland south of Santarém, Leiria and Castelo Branco included. The other three are in Porto, Madeira and the Azores.

Hopefully most of us will never encounter a situation whereby we will need the assistance of the emergency services. However, in case this becomes necessary, it is important to know how it operates and what you will be asked when making a call.

The two centres, one in Lisbon and the other in Porto, are designed to be fully independent and to ensure disruption-free operation, even if one centre experiences an overload or a failure.

Callers to 112 seek help in all types of emergency situations such as rural fires, medical or maritime distress, crime situations, and many others. Fast and efficient responses to those calls literally save lives.

Overview
The 112 call centre in Lisbon is accommodated underground and its location not advertised. The centre’s layout is similar to most call centres I have seen in several countries and on one occasion been responsible for. It comprises a massive screen which shows electronically useful indicators such as the number of calls coming in; the details of which operator is dealing with each call, the number of calls over a given period; the waiting time before calls are answered; the duration of the call; and number of calls in the queue etc.

The Public Security Police (PSP) are responsible for the operation of the call centre, but the operators are both GNR and PSP. All speaking English and some, other languages. Having police answering calls in my experience is an advantage as most have operational front line experience in dealing with such emergencies.

It is important to remember that the centre does not deploy vehicles or response teams to emergencies, which is the role of district command/control centres. . In the case of medical emergencies these are passed to the Emergency Coordination Centres (CODU) run by INEM.

Calling 112

I was there about 45 minutes, during which there were around 150 calls received, with an answering waiting time ranging from 3 to 10 seconds. Obviously the more calls that come in, especially during major incidents, the longer the answering time. This takes me to two very important points: the first is that 65% of all calls are NON-EMERGENCY – this can range from lost pets, traffic conditions; the weather and so on – there are also false calls as well. Needless to say this greatly impedes the effectiveness of the 112 system and means that the handling of genuine calls can be compromised.

The second point is that it is vital that callers continue to wait until the call in answered. This may take time when there are many calls – minutes rather than seconds. All incoming calls are in a queuing system, so if you terminate a call and call again a few minutes later, you will be at the back of a queue. This often happens in major incidents and coupled with 65% of non-emergency calls has obvious consequences.

The third point is to remain calm. This is easier said than done when a fire is raging towards your home! However it is a fact that in an emergency people are naturally under considerable stress and when speaking in a different language to the operator’s native tongue, sometimes with strong regional accents, effective communication is more difficult. Try and stay calm and wait and reply speaking as clearly and slowly as possible to the questions asked.

The process

All calls are recorded for legal reasons. The operator enters all the details obtained into the system and this record, giving location, nature of the emergency, , address and phone number etc., (not the recording) is automatically passed to the appropriate district control centre where the emergency is located, e.g. CDOS (Civil Protection), GNR or PSP. It is these centres which are responsible for deploying the appropriate resources to locate the caller/victim and coordinating and monitoring the emergency response.

The details are also automatically passed to the national control centres PSP, GNR or ANEPC in Lisbon. All centres have liaison personnel who can contact their respective commands to ensure coordination.

Try to keep your phone line free until the emergency services reach you. The dispatcher may need to contact you for further information.

Knowing your location

The Advanced Mobile Location (AML) technology is used in Portugal. An AML-enabled smartphone recognises when an emergency call is made and, if not already activated, activates the phone’s GNSS to collect the caller’s location information. The handset then sends an automatic SMS to the emergency services with the caller’s location.

The AML is dependent on several factors in the area where you are located  and therefore the location shown maybe to within a few metres, but can be several kilometres if AML is not enabled. Important for android and IOS phones, ensure in “Settings” that the “Emergency Location Service” is activated.

In giving your location you can use description, such as the road between X and Y for instance: landmarks; GPS coordinates; road numbers: milestones and Safe Residence Program house numbers. The operator may not know the exact point you are referring to, but these details are automatically passed to the district centres who have that more detailed “local” knowledge/information necessary for deployment. Remember when giving numbers speak clearly and slowly to avoid mistakes. If you speak Portuguese this is obviously preferred.

A tip is to write this down with translation and display in a prominent place in your home

Those with impaired hearing
Portuguese authorities have a facility which connects the caller to a sign language interpreter in the operational centre who translates the sign language into speech. This app can be downloaded from website 112.pt and from Play Store (Android) and App Store (IOS).

What 3words

During the visit Safe Communities Portugal raised the subject of what3words a geolocation system that has divided the world into 3 metres squares. This is used by some emergency centres overseas primarily in UK but not yet in Portugal. This has been followed up following the visit and is being looked into.

David Thomas

President

Safe Communities Portugal

 

 

      Helping Ukraine in this time of crisis

 

How to make safe and effective donations

The public, as always in times of crisis, has responded generously to help those in dire need in Ukraine itself or who have escaped to neighbouring countries. It’s important that this money goes to those who need it most, those whose lives have been uprooted by fighting.

The devastating situation in Ukraine has captured the hearts of people leading to an outpouring of public generosity in response to fundraising campaigns. But people should think carefully before donating goods or money, so that their donations reach the people who need it most.

 

FINANCIAL DONATIONS

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been in the countries in conflict for decades and warn that the uncoordinated collection of goods in kind may be held up at the borders with Ukraine, as trucks arrive daily with products from all over the world. To avoid waste – as delivery on the ground requires the reception and management of goods, which is becoming complicated – you can guarantee aid through making financial donations instead, using official organizations.

Portuguese Red Cross

On the organization’s official page there is an explanation of the appeal launched by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICVC) and the means are available for you to make the donation.

Donations can be made by bank transfer, through NIB PT50 0010 0000 3631 9110 0017 4. You can also donate money through MB Way, selecting the option “Ser Solidário” or sent to the number 918 391 794, which belongs to the Emergency of the Portuguese Red Cross.

UNICEF Portugal

In order to help children in Ukraine, UNICEF ​​Portugal created a campaign on its official page with “packs” of help already defined, but you can also select the option “another amount” and donate an amount of your choice. For example, with 15 euros you are guaranteeing food for a full day for seven children. Details and donations here https://donativos.unicef.pt/campanha/emergencia-ucrania/

You can also donate through the Facebook and Instagram of this United Nations NGO.

There are also numerous organizations you can turn to for financial donations, such as Save the Children, Doctors without Borders or Global Giving.

Always look for credible, recognized entities with proven evidence on the ground.

UNHCR

UNHCR urgently need your help to continue providing life-saving protection to families forced to flee their homes.

UNHCR has stepped up our operations and capacity in Ukraine and neighbouring countries. We remain firmly committed to support all affected populations in Ukraine and countries in the region.

With teams across Ukraine and in neighbouring countries hosting refugees from Ukraine, UNHCR is providing protection and humanitarian assistance, including emergency shelters, repairs for homes damaged by shelling, emergency cash assistance, and protection such as psychological support.

Just $13 can provide a plastic tarpaulin to a family in Ukraine, to help them protect their damaged home or shelter from the elements.

How to donate and how the money is spent here

Finally

We encourage people making donations to do so with reputable organisations and people you trust and know, to ensure that your money gets to its intended cause safely. Check how the donation will be used and how it will reach those most in need.

 

COLLECTION OF GOODS

From north to south of the country, the wave of solidarity for the Ukrainian people has been overwhelming. Even so, as we have already warned, donations must be made in an organized manner. The most important thing is to ensure the safe transport of the donated goods and their reception at the destination.

A tip to ensure effective support is to know how municipalities are organizing collections. The Association of Ukrainians in Portugal is already in contact with many municipal councils, as they have access to structures and resources, and are helping to coordinate spontaneous manifestations of generosity.

If you decide to donate food, opt for products with a long shelf life to ensure it doesn’t go to waste. Dairy products may not be the best options to donate, as there is a high probability that they will spoil on the trip if they are not properly packaged. Consult with the organisations who are responsible for the logistics involved and what is actually required.

 

VOLUNTEERING 

The huge delivery of goods, in the most varied cities of the country, also needs volunteers to divide, organize and pack the different products to be sent to the border countries with Ukraine or to the interior of the country. Once again, the recommendation is that you look for a way to help, with your time and contacts organisations such as Association of Ukrainians in Portugal to see how best you can assist.

 

MEDICINES

As the Association of Ukrainians in Portugal has stated that medicines in Ukraine are indeed urgent, to treat the many victims that, unfortunately, are multiplying day by day. Still, drug donation cannot be done lightly. The Ministry of Health recommends that official entities be contacted for the delivery of medicines and medical devices, “not only to respond to the needs listed by the receiving country, but also to ensure adequate packaging, without jeopardizing the quality and safety of the articles”.

 

HELP PLATFORMS 

In addition to cash or goods in kind, there are other ways to help.

We Help Ukraine

The platform created by a Portuguese man with the aim of going global – it has already been praised by the President of the Republic – offers different types of support, such as accommodation, transport, documentation or psychological support. Sign up and find out what you can do here .

High Commissioner for Migration (Portugal for Ukraine)

All people interested in helping can also use the e-mail sosucrania@acm.gov.pt, created by the public body that centralizes the process of welcoming and integrating immigrants and refugees in Portugal.  The e-mail serves, for example, to collect offers of employment and volunteering or availability of reception for refugees arriving in Portugal. The platform is entitled PortugalforUkraine and provides information on those who need help as well as wanting to help. Details here

 

In the Algarve

Associação dos Ucranianos no Algarve.

This association supports Ukrainian’s in the Algarve through donations and collection of goods for example. Their Facebook page is updated regularly concerning their actives and what is needed including drop of points for goods etc. More details here.

 

Real estate consultants

The country’s real estate consultants have teamed up to put together housing for Ukrainian families. In one week, the team secured 1750 beds from North to South and has 40 volunteers moderate the offers that arrive. If you have a house that you can make available, contact the team through the Facebook group “Real estate consultants for Ukraine”.

The Order of Notaries and the Order of Lawyers are also helping and have the information available on their respective websites.

In order to be able to welcome Ukrainian families, it is also necessary to understand them. If you are a translator or fluent in Portuguese and Ukrainian, it can be a precious help in the near future. Psychological support will also be essential.

 

 

Portugal: Civil society mobilises to carry aid to Ukraine

Lisbon, March 3, 2022 (Lusa) – From Portugal to Eastern Europe, civil society has mobilising to take humanitarian aid to Ukraine and the borders, with improvised locations filling up daily with boxes and bags waiting to travel.

The Benfica parish council set up an operations centre to collect goods at the Baldaya Palace in Lisbon, which began on Monday and, having exceeded expectations, will continue until Saturday.

In the library, the books shelves have been hidden behind hundreds of bags and boxes of donations, which were organised on Wednesday and stored in a warehouse, which is still being built.

These goods are waiting to be transported by two trucks that are leaving tonight for Ukraine, a country facing armed conflict for a week after the Russian invasion.

“We have collected more than 60 tonnes, and we have delivered 20 tonnes”, the president of the parish council, Ricardo Marques, told Lusa on Thursday, saying that, since Monday, that room of the palace is filled daily with food, medicines, toys and, above all, clothes.

At the entrance, Filomena Gaspar carries two large bags of clothes. It was all she could bring herself, and for this reason, she was pleased when the president himself told her that they would be collecting goods until Saturday.

“I think all solidarity is good because we don’t know what tomorrow will bring, and we may need it”, she said.

Shortly before, Deolinda Ribeiro had also arrived with goods to donate. She had been there on Wednesday and would be back again, she told Lusa, stressing that she wanted to help as much as possible.

“The reaction and the contribution have been overwhelming”, noted Ricardo Marques, anticipating that in addition to the two truckloads that have already been delivered to the churches of Arroios and Nossa Senhora do Amparo and then went on to Poland, those that leave later today for a military base in southern Ukraine and the one that, on Tuesday, will make the journey between Benfica and Romania, a sixth will be needed to ensure that all the goods are sent.

Before leaving, Filomena and Deolinda still met Oksana, a Ukrainian living in Portugal, and her nephew Andriy, who arrived on Saturday from Ukraine.

At the end of the week, she will receive more relatives who managed to flee the country, and the help she received in recent days was such that she wanted to share with her compatriots who are still in Ukraine or at the borders.

“In a situation like this, no one can be indifferent. And even we, who have this difficulty… On Saturday, we are going to be nine people at home, it’s going to be a bit difficult, but we want to give everything we can because they have nothing there,” he said.

The family was prepared to leave the country, and as soon as the conflict reached the city of Lviv, where they live, some took what they could – little more than their clothes, according to Oksana – and left for the border with Poland. Many stayed behind to fight or because they didn’t want to abandon their children and husbands.

“We had a lot of luck that other people didn’t have,” she stressed emotionally, mentioning that the support shown by the Portuguese has moved her. “You have a huge heart, and I can’t describe it. I have no words to thank each and every one of you,” she added.

On the other side, donations were received by volunteers like João Santos, one of hundreds.

“I’ve been here since the first day”, he told Lusa, reporting that the work was intensifying every day, especially on Wednesday, when all the efforts were concentrated to prepare the trucks of today: “We had a very intensive day, with a very big delivery, we had lots of volunteers working, and we managed to have a lot of material organised here to make the delivery”.

Similar initiatives are multiplying up and down the country – from companies, parishes, municipalities, civic movements, and associations.

In Lisbon, another of the various collection points is at Farmácia Miranda, which, after speaking to a Ukrainian citizen living in Portugal who could transport the goods, decided to join in the aid to Ukraine.

There, the adhesion also exceeded the expectations of the clinical director and the small room where the donated goods are kept and from where they leave daily to a warehouse in Loures was already very busy by mid-morning.

“People are showing a lot of unity and compassion for those who, at this moment, need it most”, explained Mariana Noronha, adding that they’ve managed to deliver a lot of things – including clothes and food, but also medicines and first aid material.

“We’ve had immense generosity from the medical profession”, she added, mentioning that they’ve already received several doctors who have offered to write prescriptions for drugs that can only be made available in this way.

 

Russia attacks Ukraine

 

On 24th February 2022 Russian forces attacked Ukraine by land, sea and air at multiple points, causing deaths, injuries and damage to infrastructure.

In view of the global impact of the attack, including Portugal’s role as a NATO member, Safe Communities Portugal has created a major incident page where you can find a summary of updates.

The updates can be followed on this page here

 

Christmas – Fire Safety Check List for your Home

 

This year, make sure you have two Christmas lists – your Santa list and your fire safety checklist.

Christmas is a time where we all snuggle up in front of the fire, turn on some extra heating around the home, look forward to putting on our cozy pyjamas and of course hanging some festive decorations to get into the spirit of things. This time of the year can also expose our homes to more fire hazards than usual.

In Portugal the vast majorities of fires occur during lunch and diner when you switch on your kitchen appliances. But, and that’s a big one, the vast majorities of deaths and serious injuries occur during night time fires because that’s when you get caught off-guard.

So, this year, make sure you have two Christmas lists – your Santa list and your fire safety checklist.

We’ve compiled important safety tips for eight areas of your home environment that you can put into practice:

Electrical

Many of us have probably already taken our electric blankets out of the cupboard this winter. It’s important you switch off your electric blanket before going to sleep. Only leave it turned on if it has thermostatic controls which are safe for all-night use. If any of the wires seem damaged or worn, replace the electric blanket.

To safe guard you and your home this Christmas make sure that you don’t:

• Overload your plug sockets.
• Plug an extension lead into another extension lead. Make sure to check the rating of your extension leads before use; most will be ‘13A’ which means it cannot handle more than 13 amps or 3000 watts of power at a time.
• Leave lamps and electrical appliances plugged in overnight.

Cooking

Cooking is the source of a great number of house fires, with a lot of these occurring during the Christmas period. During this time of year, we’re all using our ovens and stoves more often. Pots and pans can very easily overheat if left unattended on the hob, so if you must leave the room, be sure to turn the heat off and move the pot or pan to a heat resistant surface. Remember to always keep the area around your cooker completely free from combustible items such as napkins, tea towels and food packaging when cooking.

In the event of a grease fire, never attempt to extinguish it with water. Water and oil don’t mix – the water will sink to the bottom of the pan and evaporate straight away whilst causing the burning grease to disperse and spread – instead use a fire blanket to smother the flames. If you don’t own a fire blanket buy one, its money well spent. You can also use a large cloth or damp blanket (not nylon or polyester based) as a last resort and cover the fire completely, eventually extinguishing it by the absence of oxygen.

Please see an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE08iOkXdMk

Fireplaces and chimneys

If you have an open fire be sure to have your chimney cleaned and inspected at least once a year. Ensure stoves and boilers are serviced regularly by a professional.

Candles

There are so many smells that we associate with Christmas; fresh fig, cinnamon, spiced quince, gingerbread and of course, Christmas trees! And it has become increasingly popular to use scented candles in our homes all year round. It’s very easy to forget to blow out candles, especially at night time. A simple alternative are LED tea lights.

However, if you must use real candles, make sure they fit securely into candleholders and keep them well away from anything flammable and at least 10 centimetres away from other candles.

Decorations, Lights & Christmas trees

A simple fire safety switch you can make during the festive period is to use LED Christmas lights rather than traditional lights for decoration around your home. Remember to never leave your Christmas tree lights plugged in when going to bed or leaving your home, even for a short time.

Make sure to avoid hanging decorations above or near to an open fire or stove. Keep your Christmas tree at least 1.2 meters/4 feet away from heat sources such as heaters, fires and candles.

If you have a real Christmas tree, keep it in a pot of water to stop it from drying out and becoming highly flammable. Try not to purchase a tree with brown needles, as these will fall out quickly and become a fire hazard.

If you purchase an artificial Christmas tree be sure it has a CE safety mark and is flame retardant. Only purchase lights that have the CE safety mark.

Smoking

Cigarettes cause a vast number of all house fires. If you do smoke, try to do so outside because smoldering cigarette butts are extremely dangerous if left near flammable surfaces. Alternatively, keep some water in your ashtrays to ensure the cigarette butts are fully extinguished.

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

It’s so important that you have a smoke alarm on each floor of your home, and that you check them regularly. Every home should also have at least one fire extinguisher rated for all fire types (look for A-B-C rating on the label).

The latest fire extinguishers are the ABF Foam Fire Extinguishers, they give you the added advantage of keeping cleaning after the fire absolutely minimal. If you use a dry powder one you have to thoroughly clean after using them, including the interior of all electronics.

Please see an example: https://simplyextinguishers.co.uk/2-litre-abf-foam-fire-extinguisher.html

If you have a fuel-burning appliance, including an open fire – make sure to have a carbon monoxide alarm installed. You should have one in every room that contains a stove or open fire.

Family

Make sure to keep lighters and matches well out of reach of children and teach them about fire safety.

Create a safety and escape plan for the family to follow in the event of a fire. Make sure that family members know how to use a fire extinguisher and fire blanket.

Prepared by Pedro Taboada

Former Bombeiros Commander and currently Adviser to Safe Communities Portugal