Resolution No. 3/2025, of May 26

 

Summary

Approval of the national operational directive regarding the state of special readiness for entities forming part of the Integrated Protection and Relief Operations System (SIOPS).

In accordance with the provisions of paragraph 1 of article 17 of the Annex to Decree-Law no. 90-A/2022 , of December 30, the National Civil Protection Commission is responsible for approving the operational directive regarding the state of special readiness of the Integrated Protection and Relief Operations System.

Therefore, in compliance with the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 of article 7 of Order No. 302/2008, of April 18, the National Civil Protection Commission, in an ordinary meeting held on April 23, 2025, decided:

1 – Approve the national operational directive regarding the state of special readiness for the entities forming part of the Integrated Protection and Relief Operations System (SIOPS), which constitutes an annex to this resolution, of which it forms an integral part;

2 – Revoke the Declaration of the National Civil Protection Commission No. 97/2007, of February 6, which approved the National Operational Directive No. 1/ANPC/2007 regarding the state of special alert for organizations that are members of SIOPS.

This Resolution shall come into force on the day following its publication.

May 5, 2025. – The Secretary of the National Civil Protection Commission, Ana Freitas.

ANNEX

National Operational Directive regarding the state of special readiness for entities that are part of the Integrated Protection and Relief Operations System (SIOPS)

1 – Situation

The Integrated Protection and Relief Operations System (SIOPS), approved by Decree-Law No. 90-A/2022 , of December 30, implemented a new model in the scope of risk monitoring and management, based on states of readiness, replacing alert states.

2 – Purpose

This Directive, under the terms of the provisions of paragraph 1 of article 17 of the annex to Decree-Law no. 90-A/2022 of December 30, establishes the rules for activating the SIOPS Special State of Readiness (EPE).

3 – Scope

This Directive applies to all entities that are members of SIOPS.

4 – Concepts

(1) SIOPS covers, within the scope of risk monitoring and management, the following states of readiness:

(a) Normal;

(b) Especial.

(2) The Normal State of Readiness (EPN) involves routine monitoring and device and is permanently activated, without occurrences that justify special measures to prevent or mitigate consequences.

(3) The Special State of Readiness (EPE), which comprises four progressive levels, from I to IV, binds the entities that are part of SIOPS and aims to intensify preparatory actions for intervention in occurrences and mitigation of their consequences, placing human and material resources on standby, in relation to the period and area in which a special incidence of risk is expected.

(4) The EPE consists of:

(a) In the greater mobilization of human and material resources for the missions to be carried out;

(b) In the adoption of preparatory schemes for imminent intervention or action;

(c) When carrying out prevention or surveillance missions, available and appropriate resources must be activated;

(d) In the coordinated adoption of other measures deemed necessary in due course.

5 – Risk matrix for activating the SIOPS EPE

The risk matrix for activating the SIOPS EPE classifies the risk of an event, combining the degree of probability of its occurrence with its potential degree of severity.

a) Probability table

The degree of probability of occurrence of the event is determined based on the respective annual probability of occurrence or the associated return period, and is characterized and classified into 5 degrees, as set out in Table No. 1:

TABLE NO. 1

Degree of probability

b) Gravity table

The degree of potential severity of the event is determined according to its expected impact in 4 dimensions, life, housing, infrastructure and environment, being characterized and classified into 5 degrees, as set out in Table No 2 Note: Showed in text instead of table

 

Table No. 2

Degree of Severity

Degree of Gravity and Impact – RESIDUAL

  • Life
  • No fatalities are expected.
  • Serious injuries are not expected.
  • A small number of minor injuries are expected.
  • It is expected that a small number of people and animals may be evacuated for a period of less than 24 hours.

————————–

  • Residential building
  • Damage to buildings that would render them permanently uninhabitable is not expected.
  • Damage to buildings that would make them temporarily uninhabitable and require works is not expected.
  • Minor damage is expected to occur in a small number of buildings, without putting their habitability at risk.
  • Infrastructures
  • It is expected that some essential public service networks will be unavailable and/or some roads will be closed for a period of less than 12 hours.
  • Environment
  • No impact expected

 

 Degree of Gravity and Impact -REDUCED 

  • Life
  • No fatalities are expected.
  • A small number of serious injuries are expected.
  • A small number of minor injuries are expected.
  • It is expected that a small number of people and animals may be evacuated for a period of less than 24 hours.
  • Residential building
  • Damage to buildings that would render them permanently uninhabitable is not expected.
  • Damage is expected to occur in a small number of buildings, making them temporarily uninhabitable and requiring works to be carried out.
  • Minor damage is expected to occur in a small number of buildings, without putting their habitability at risk.
  • Infrastructures
  • It is expected that essential public service networks will be unavailable and/or some roads will be closed for a period of less than 24 hours.
  • Environment
  • A small impact with no lasting effects is expected.

 

Degree of Gravity and Impact – MODERATE

  • Life
  • A small number of fatalities are expected
  • A small number of serious injuries are expected.
  • A high number of minor injuries are expected
  • It is expected that a large number of people and animals may be evacuated for a period of less than 24 hours.
  • Residential building
  • Damage is expected to occur in a small number of buildings, making them permanently uninhabitable.
  • Damage is expected to occur in a small number of buildings, making them temporarily uninhabitable and requiring works to be carried out.
  • Minor damage is expected to occur in a large number of buildings, without compromising their habitability.
  • Infrastructures
  • It is expected that essential public service networks will be unavailable and/or roads will be closed for a period of less than 48 hours.
  • Environment
  • Impact is expected to occur without lasting effects

 

Degree of Gravity and Impact – HIGH

  • Life
  • A small number of fatalities are expected
  • A high number of serious injuries are expected
  • A very high number of minor injuries are expected.
  • It is expected that a large number of people and animals may be evacuated for a period of more than 24 hours.
  • Residential building
  • Damage is expected to occur in a small number of buildings, rendering them permanently uninhabitable.
  • Damage is expected to occur in a large number of buildings, making them temporarily uninhabitable and requiring works to be carried out.
  • Minor damage is expected to occur in a very large number of buildings, without putting their habitability at risk.
  • Infrastructures
  • It is expected that essential public service networks will be unavailable and/or roads will be closed for a period of more than 48 hours.
  • Environment
  • Impact with long-term effects is expected

 

Degree of Gravity and Impact – CRITICAL

  • Life
  • A high number of fatalities is expected
  • A very high number of serious injuries are expected
  • A very high number of minor injuries are expected.
  • It is expected that a large number of people and animals will be evacuated for a long period of time.
  • Residential building
  • Damage is expected to occur in a large number of buildings, making them permanently uninhabitable.
  • Damage is expected to occur in a very high number of buildings, making them temporarily uninhabitable and requiring works to be carried out.
  • Damage is expected to occur in a large number of buildings, without compromising their habitability
  • Infrastructures
  • It is expected that essential public service networks will be unavailable and/or roads will be closed for a long period of time.
  • Environment
  • Significant impact and/or permanent damage is expected

 

Note: Essential public service networks are considered to be the transport and/or distribution networks for electricity, water, basic sanitation, gas and communications.

 

c) Risk matrix

The relationship between the potential severity of the consequences and the probability of the events occurring generally reflects the typical degree of risk, as shown in Table 3:

Table No. 3

Risk Matrix

Note: The “Confirmed” Degree of Probability refers to verified/ongoing occurrences, for which the degree of risk is based exclusively on the Degree of Severity, since in these situations the Degree of Probability is not relevant.

6 – Matrix of SIOPS EPE levels versus risk levels

The SIOPS EPE levels generally subsume the risk levels transcribed in table no. 4, with the “Low” risk level not leading to the activation of any SIOPS EPE level:

Table No 4

SIOPS EPE Level Matrix versus Risk Degrees

7 – Level of readiness and mobilization

(1) The level of readiness and mobilization is intended to progressively reinforce, in the entities that are part of SIOPS, the human and material resources of the permanent response device and of the special devices that have been established and already activated, starting from the resources that are already in a permanent prevention and alert regime in the EPN, or at the level of EPE that has already been activated.

(2) The level of readiness and mobilization is only applicable to the human and material resources appropriate to the type of occurrence or risk for which the EPE was activated.

(3) Without prejudice to what is defined in the Operational Directives of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) intended for each specific situation, the level of readiness and mobilization of human and material resources of the entities that are part of SIOPS is determined in accordance with table no. 5:

 

TABLE No. 5

Degree of readiness and mobilization

Readiness Level 1 – IMMEDIATE

Degree of Mobilization

The Fire Departments (CB) must guarantee the presence of the Minimum Operational Intervention Force (FMIO), which is on permanent prevention and alert at the EPN, reinforced with the mobilization of the necessary personnel to ensure the presence of 10% of the total number of its vehicles and operational means appropriate to the type of occurrence or risk, with a minimum of 2 (two).

The Special Civil Protection Force (FEPC) of ANEPC, the Emergency Protection and Relief Unit (UEPS) of the National Republican Guard (GNR), the Forest Firefighters Force (FSBF) of the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests, IP (ICNF, IP) and the remaining entities that are part of SIOPS, must guarantee the manning of 10% of their total vehicles and operational means appropriate to the type of occurrence or risk.

Readines Level ll- Up to two (2) hours

Degree of Mobilization

The CB, FEPC, UEPS, FSBF and the remaining entities that make up SIOPS must ensure that 25% of their total vehicles and operational resources are manned, appropriate to the type of occurrence or risk.

Readines Level lll – Up to six (6) hours

Degree of Mobilization

The CB, FEPC, UEPS, FSBF and the remaining entities that make up SIOPS must ensure that 50% of their total vehicles and operational resources are manned, appropriate to the type of occurrence or risk.

Readines Level lV – Up to twelve (12) hours

Degree of mobilization

The CB, FEPC, UEPS, FSBF and the remaining entities that make up SIOPS must ensure that 100% of their vehicles and operational resources are manned, appropriate to the type of occurrence or risk.

 

8 – Activation/Graduation/Extension/Deactivation of SIOPS EPE

(1) The EPE is activated, graduated, extended and deactivated by the National Operational Coordination Center (CCON).

(2) The CCON coordinator, in exceptional and urgent situations, may determine the activation, graduation, extension and deactivation of the SIOPS EPE, without the CCON meeting, and the determination must be ratified in the immediately following session.

(3) The CCON establishes the territorial and temporal scope of the EPE, determining the appropriate level of activation of human and material resources depending on the type of situation, its severity, the level of readiness required and its expected duration.

(4) The National Emergency and Civil Protection Command (CNEPC) of ANEPC is responsible for transmitting orders to activate, change and deactivate the SIOPS EPE.

(5) Level III and IV of the SIOPS EPE determines, under the terms of paragraph d) of paragraph 8 of article 5 of the annex to Declaration No. 63/2024/2 of the National Civil Protection Commission, the holding of extraordinary meetings of the Operational Coordination Centers (CCO).

(6) The activation of the EPE, at any level, of the SIOPS determines the permanent monitoring of the operational situation by the entities that are part of the SIOPS and of the occurrences, by the institutional coordination structures, the emergency and civil protection commands of the ANEPC, at the national, regional and sub-regional levels, and the municipal civil protection services (SMPC), according to the territorial and temporal scope established for the EPE.

9 – Additional provisions

The SIOPS member entities establish, through internal regulations, the sectoral measures to be implemented at each level of the SIOPS EPE.