COMMUNICATIONS IN THE FIRE BRIGADES “ARE FULLY FUNCTIONING” ASSURES CIVIL PROTECTION
The National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC) clarified this Tuesday that operational communications are in full operation and that firefighters’ associations have the SIRESP communications network and/or the Firefighters’ Operational Network.
In a response to questions asked by Lusa regarding the existence of constraints in the communications of fire brigades due to the cyberattack that the operator Vodafone was targeted, ANEPC stated: “Operational communications are fully functioning, without any constraints”.
It adds that firefighters’ associations “have the SIRESP – Integrated System of Emergency and Security Networks of Portugal communications network and, alternatively, the Firefighters’ Operational Network (ROB), which ensures the support and development of operations. And assistance that may be necessary to develop in the most varied scenarios, thus guaranteeing communications”.
ANEPC’s response comes after, statements to the Lusa agency, by the commander of the Bragança firefighters, Carlos Martins, who said that since Monday the corporation has been without communications, namely in the usual number of the brigade, as a result of the constraints at Vodafone.
“The biggest problem” that the situation poses, as the commander explained, is the medical emergency, but, “since 21:00 on Monday, it has been established, by national indications that these communications are made through the state network for emergency and security situations, SIRESP.
The executive chairman of Vodafone Portugal said that the cyberattack on the company, on Monday, was “a criminal act” that had “clearly” the objective of making the network unavailable, “with seriousness, to make the level of services as difficult as possible”.