Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 2nd July 2025

Good morning. The weather has no doubt been in most minds particularly the effects of the high temperatures. Southern Europe experienced a persistent heatwave on Monday, which reached an unprecedented geographic extent in France and extended from the Balkans to England. This has led to rural fires including Portugal where there were serious and numerous fires recorded, 323 from June 28th-30th; several of which were classified as significant occurrences. At one stage on 30th June over one thousand operatives were fighting some 34 fires.

In addition to hail falling in some places in Portugal, the heat on Sunday led to the formation of a rare phenomenon of “roll clouds”, which accumulated in certain stretches of the coast. Images shared on social media show a huge horizontal cloud moving from the sea horizon towards the beaches.

Inland, the thermometer reached 46.6°C in Mora , Évora district, a value close to the absolute maximum in the country, on August 1, 2003, then 47.3 degrees in Amareleja (Beja), according t Due to the heat wave, IPMA placed seven districts on red alert , between Sunday and Tuesday. Records have been broken since the start of this extreme heat wave. Record maximum and minimum temperatures were also recorded for the month of June at several stations in Spain, according to the meteorological agency Aemet.

With an average of 26.01°C (degrees Celsius), according to data from the European Copernicus program recorded on Sunday and analysed by Météo-France, the Mediterranean Sea had never recorded such a high surface temperature. IPMA have forecast for 1^st July sea temperatures of 21 – 24C off the south coast of Portugal.

Heatwaves are becoming more intense, starting earlier and occurring later in the summer due to climate change. I have prepared a feature on this topic and its relationship to rural fires which will appear in the Portugal Resident tomorrow 3^rdJuly.

It is important during extreme weather, in this case very high temperatures, to follow the safety advice being issued by the authorities as well as that issued by Safe Communities. Over the last week therefore we have issued advice on: disposable BBQs; parking on dry grass; rip currents; safety on beaches; drowning prevention; beach flags; use of motorized gardening equipment; UV; safety when hiking and camping; burning cut and piled waste and fire prevention, etc, etc. We ask people to study and share this important information. Thank you.

DELTA Level of the Special Rural Fire Fighting Device (#DECIR) starts today extending until 30^th September. Under this the following total resources are available 11,161 operatives, with the possibility of mobilizing 3,863 more, totalling up to 15.024; 2,417 vehicles from various civil protection agents, with the potential mobilization of more 994, making a total of 3,411; 71 aircraft. Of course it would be far better not to have to deploy these resources and this can best be done by exercising due care and attention to avoid any activity which may increase the risk of fires.

Late Saturday afternoon, another car caught fire while driving in the Cancela area and was completely burned. As reported by DIÁRIO, the same thing happened to a taxi van at the beginning of the month, on Rua Martha Telles Pintora, in the parish of São Martinho, which caused a great deal of commotion. Another was on the A22 last weekend and today 30th June on the A2 a car on fire near Grandola service area and in São Brás de Alportel a car on fire on the E.N. 270. However, these are not isolated cases and have occurred with some frequency.

Therefore, it is essential to know how to act quickly and safely in the event of a fire, as a fire in a vehicle can start suddenly and become uncontrollable within a few minutes. Firstly Stay calm and get out of the vehicle. In the event of a fire while the vehicle is moving, turn off the engine and stop immediately, without putting other road users at risk; If possible, stop the vehicle in a place with clean ground, free of dry leaves, paper, oil or other easily combustible materials; Turn your wheels to prevent the car from rolling away, apply your handbrake; Get everyone away from the vehicle and stay well away. Once all passengers are safely out of the vehicle, call 112; Make yourself as visible as possible. Use hi-vis clothing and wave your arms to warn oncoming traffic; Do not attempt to put out the fire unless you have the means to do so, namely if you have a fire extinguisher and never use water on an engine fire,

Our team wishes you a good day

News

State spending on diabetes medication doubles, minister wants new clinical guidelines

In 2024, public spending on diabetes medication exceeded 417 million euros. In addition to the increase in the disease in Portugal, the use of this type of medication for weight loss also comes into play.

Regardless of this growth, which is atypical, we must ensure that diabetic patients receive the treatment they need,” said the Minister of Health. “What is missing here are clinical guidance standards.”

Paula Martins says that a committee will be created to work on these standards, which aim to guarantee fair access to medicine. “Above all, to avoid inappropriate use of resources,” she stressed.

In the case of diabetes , and not taking into account costs with insulin , but , for example, with the substance semaglutide – present in the drugs Ozempic and Rybelsus – , Infarmed ‘s figures show that the expense rose from 7.5 million in 2021 to 40 million last year .

“I am convinced that increasing the co-payment will allow us to negotiate with the pharmaceutical industry to find a cheaper price”, says José Boavida, from the Portuguese Association for the Protection of Diabetics.

If prescribed to people without type 2 diabetes, Ozempic costs 120 euros. With co-payment, the cost is 12 euros. The drugs are also used for weight loss and have already led to stock-outs in pharmacies.

At the beginning of this year, and after a shortage in the market, Infarmed announced an audit process on medicines for diabetics, but there are still no conclusions.

Iranian hackers threaten to release 100GB of emails from close Trump aides

A group of hackers with links to Iran has threatened to release about 100 gigabytes of emails allegedly stolen from figures close to US President Donald Trump. Those targeted include White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and long time adviser Roger Stone, according to Reuters, which had access to direct communications with the cybercriminals, who operate under the pseudonym “Robert”.

According to the hackers themselves, the material obtained also includes emails associated with Lindsey Halligan, Trump’s lawyer, and actress Stormy Daniels, known for having signed a confidentiality agreement in exchange for $130,000 to not mention an alleged relationship with Trump. Although the hackers have not revealed when they plan to release the content, they say the material exists and could be released soon.

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) called the attack a hostile propaganda attempt by a foreign power. “A hostile foreign adversary is threatening to exploit stolen and unverified material in an attempt to distract, discredit, and divide,” CISA spokeswoman Marci McCarthy said. She denounced the attack as part of a “calculated smear campaign” against President Trump.

FBI Director Kash Patel has promised a firm response, telling Reuters that anyone involved in a breach of national security will be “investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” The severity of the threat reignites debate over foreign interference in U.S. politics as Washington seeks to counter cyberattacks from Iran and other rival nations.

Some of the emails stolen by the “Robert” group have already been verified by Reuters in previous leaks. Among the documents released are alleged financial negotiations between Trump and lawyers for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as well as exchanges of messages regarding a possible out-of-court settlement with Stormy Daniels. The hackers say they did not intend to release more material after Trump’s re-election, but changed their position after the escalation of the conflict between Iran and Israel, which prompted US intervention.

It should be recalled that in September 2024, the US Department of Justice indicted three members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards for involvement in cyberespionage campaigns during the electoral process. Although Tehran has denied the accusations, suspicions about the Iranian regime’s involvement have persisted.

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 18^th June 2025

Good morning. With the increasing temperatures and the decrease in relative humidity, the fire risk has increased considerably. It goes without saying therefore that we must all take every precaution possible to avoid starting a fire. Over 98% of fires have a human cause, the majority through negligence. It is extremely important to following the warnings in place. Yellow level warning are in place for the whole of the mainland except Bragança and Vila Real which are at Orange.

On Monday there were 89 fires one of the highest days so far this year. Over 700 operatives were fighting fires at around 1700 hrs supported by 20 aircraft, the latter being around 30% of availability. One of our observations is the larger number of fire than usual in the Évora district, which has been at extreme danger levels, according to the Fire Weather Index.

Yesterday was the day with the highest risk so far with over 95% on the mainland at “high” risk or above. This comes exactly eight years since what became known as the Pedrógrão Grande complex of fires,” occurred the first being a fire at Escalos Fundeiros e Regadas. This was one of five major fires, which occurred from 17th to 24th June 2017, causing the death of 66 people, injuring 253 more and devastating extensive areas of the municipalities of Pedrógão Grande, Figueiró dos Vinhos and Castanheira de Pera, also spreading to the neighbouring municipalities of Sertã, Alvaiázere, Ansião and Penela. Let us all hope we never experience such a fire again in our lifetime. We can must all work together to prevent this.

On the crime front an item that caught our eye this week was that the Judicial Police had launched an operation to comply with 15 search and apprehend warrants), which resulted in the arrest of six people, strongly indicted by the practice of crimes related to group and terrorist activities. The detainees are suspected of integrating the so-called Lusitanian Armed Movement (MAL), which intended to constitute itself as a political movement, supported by an armed militia, and are indicted for the practice of framing facts in crimes of terrorist offenses, violent change of the rule of law and possession of prohibited weapons.

Among the six detainees, one was a member of the PSP, while others had links to private security groups. The dismantling of this far-right armed militia constituted the largest operation of its kind ever in Portugal, with hundreds of ammunition, military weapons and explosives seized, the Judicial Police itself reported. Read more about this in our link below.

A reminder that a hot air mass is passing through Continental Portugal originating in North Africa and carries particles and dust that will be suspended. This affects the quality of the air, estimating that it can contribute to the increase of suspended particles (PM10) concentrations.

As long as this phenomenon persists, the General Directorate of Health recommends the following precautions: Avoid prolonged exposure, limit outdoor physical activity and exposure to risk factors, such as tobacco smoke and contact with irritating products; For their greatest vulnerability to the effects of this phenomenon, children, the elderly, patients with chronic respiratory problems, mainly asthma and patients with the cardiovascular forum, should, if possible, remain inside the buildings with the windows closed:

Chronic patients should keep their medical treatments current; In case of worsening symptoms, contact the Health Line 24 (808 24 24 24).

The sixth edition of the EU Focus Day on domestic burglary takes place on Wednesday 18 June 2025. With a prevention campaign and local preventive initiatives, the EUCPN, several European countries, Europol and the European Commission aim to step up the fight against this crime by informing citizens that they can secure their home against burglary.

Property crime, and more specifically burglary, affects many European citizens. Luckily, burglaries are preventable and it does not have to be expensive! Research clearly shows the effectiveness of improved window and door locks or external lights that pop on when their sensors observe movement and internal lightning on a timer. These measures increase the risk of being caught and/or the effort that would be needed to enter a home successfully. These improved security measures prevented a great deal of crimes and eventually led to a genuine crime drop. The takeaway for crime preventers, though, is not to sit back and relax. On the contrary! Many people are still victim of burglary. That is why 22 European countries, united in the EUCPN (European Crime Prevention Network) and EMPACT, have joined forces to launch this initiative.

We hope that you have a nice week ahead

News

Operation “Disarmament 3D”. Six members of the Lusitanian Armillary Movement arrested

The Judicial Police announced this Tuesday an operation that culminated in the arrest of six people, strongly indicted for the practice of crimes of infractions related to terrorist groups and activities, discrimination and incitement to hatred and violence and possession of a prohibited weapon. One of those arrested was a member of the PSP.

The operation, carried out by the National Counter-Terrorism Unit, aimed to execute 15 search and seizure warrants, both at home and abroad.

“As a result of the searches carried out, it was possible to make arrests in flagrante delicto and seize various types of explosive material, several firearms, some of which were produced using 3D technology, several 3D printers, several dozen rounds of ammunition, several bladed weapons, computer equipment, among other evidence”, said the PJ in a statement sent to the media. The Lusitanian Armillary Movement (MAL) intended to establish itself as “a political movement, supported by an armed militia.

The investigation began with the detection of indicators on the internet of extremist demonstrations by apologists for nationalist ideologies and radical and violent far-right movements, followers of an anti-system and conspiratorial ideology, which encouraged discrimination, hatred and violence against immigrants and refugees.

The detainees are suspected of being members of the so-called Lusitanian Armillary Movement (MAL). The movement intended to establish itself as “a political movement, supported by an armed militia”. The investigation began in 2021.

“They were indicted for committing acts that could constitute terrorist offences, violent alteration of the rule of law and possession of prohibited weapons”, says the Judiciary.

Among the six detainees, one was a member of the PSP, while others had links to private security groups.

The detainees will be brought to court this Tuesday for their first judicial interrogation.

Largest operation ever

The dismantling of this far-right armed militia constituted the largest operation of its kind ever in Portugal, with hundreds of ammunition, military weapons and explosives seized, the Judicial Police itself reported.

“The quality and diversity of what we seized was surprising,” said Manuela Santos, director of the National Counter-Terrorism Unit (UNCT) of the Judicial Police, at a press conference.

“It was surprising” to find in the group this “capacity to do something with some projection, with the means at their disposal,” added the PJ leader.

“They were arming themselves, recruiting people and developing actions”, stated Manuela Santos, highlighting that the seized material “has an origin and everything is open in that aspect”, with “new lines of investigation”.

The official did not rule out the possibility of “security and military force elements” being involved in the group.

The larger group includes elements that “belonged to old far-right structures that no longer exist”, such as the New Social Order, founded by the neo-Nazi Mário Machado.

In a video distributed by the PJ there were neo-Nazi books, propaganda and 3D printers that were used to make weapons or tamper with airsoft guns so that they would fire lethal ammunition.

“It’s not easy [to investigate], because it’s a difficult environment to penetrate. These types of individuals are very alert” to the actions of the authorities.

“There was no concrete plan yet” to “trigger criminal action”, explained the UNCT coordinator, but stressed that the objective was to “attack institutions”, in line with what other groups of this kind do internationally.

The PJ leader recalled the mega-operation by German authorities that in 2022 dismantled a group that was trying to carry out a coup d’état. “They are people from many backgrounds”, united by “discrimination based on gender identity, race, creed”.

The national director of the Judicial Police expressed concern about the increase in cases related to radical and violent far-right movements in Portugal, such as the armed group that was dismantled by the authorities.

“We are very concerned about the growth of this activity, which does not only occur on national territory”, Luís Neves said today.

The leader wanted to be present at the press conference to assess the situation, “given the relevance of the operation, given the associated violent phenomenon” that violates “human rights, equality, respect for diversity and respect for the Constitution”.

In addition to this operation, Luís Neves highlighted the increase in hate attacks in Portugal, giving examples of the violence of Sporting fans, who set fire to a vehicle carrying Porto fans, or the attack on an actor from the theatre company “A Barraca”, by a nationalist movement.

Regarding the presence of security forces in these far-right radical groups, Luís Neves stressed that this requires vigilance but should not contaminate the public perception of the institutions.

“It is not because there is one element or another that has these criminal indications that we can call into question the two great security forces” that “do their work selflessly every day”, he said.

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 28^th May 2025

Good morning. The focus this week is very much on the considerable increase in air temperature and associated much higher fire risk as well as the quickly approaching deadline for land cleaning – just four days away.

So far this year the fire risk has been lower than average but this is set to change from today especially in the Algarve. If we look at the fire risk map for 27^th May there are only 4 municipalities at very high risk and above, but by the 31^st May (the deadline for land cleaning) there will be 76 (according to forecasts at the time of writing), although this could change.

This puts those living in those areas at a quandary, as you cannot burning cut and piled waste without specific authorization from your municipality – some they may be reluctant to give if it results in a burn becoming out of control.  This was raise by a reader yesterday – who asked: Having cleaned the land around our second home as best we can, what do we now do with piles of material we can no longer burn the piles?”

Here is my reply which serves as a reply to others in a similar situation. “Now it is too late to burn if you are in a very high maximum risk municipality over the next few days. We have been forewarning over the few months this situation could materialize, encouraging people to burn debris as soon as possible. There are several options. 1) Wait until the risk becomes lower and then seek authorization from the city council. Even if the risk is low or moderate, after the 31st May you need to seek authorisation, they may or may not grant it. 2) Employ a company or someone to remove the debris. 3) Purchase or hire a shredder, to shred it, if you can and depending on the thickness of items you need to shred. 4) You can also check with your parish office if there are any local services that can help you”.

Despite admitting some “tolerance”, the GNR is flagging up landowners who do not clear their land to prevent fires. The deadline for carrying out fuel management work ends at the end of this month. After that, the authorities can take action and impose fines. By the end of April, the GNR had flagged 10,417 plots of land for lack of fuel management, to prevent rural fires, but from June onwards, even with some “tolerance” from the authorities, owners risk fines if they do not clean their land.

Over the weekend, the IPMA had already warned of a gradual rise in temperatures from Tuesday onwards in mainland Portugal, with an increase in the risk of rural fires, the maximum classification of which could affect some municipalities in the south. The maximum temperature is expected to reach above 30°C in most of the territory from today onwards, with the exception of some places on the western coastal strip – and ​above 35°C in the South and Tagus Valley. This hot and dry weather is due to a mass of hot air coming from North Africa. A reminder that the ultraviolet radiation index will remain at very high levels, as expected at this time of year close to the summer solstice and given the absence of cloud cover. DGS has issued health warnings due to high temperatures and we are posting these on our Facebook page and Group at regular intervals.

High temperatures are not the only factor concerning fire risk, with low humidity and strong winds being major factors as well. In addition we post each day the Fire Weather Index. The Fire Weather Index (FWI) is a model-based index used worldwide to estimate fire danger. It indicates intensity of potential fires by combining the rate of fire spread with the amount of fuel being consumed, taking into account temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, precipitation, drought conditions, fuel availability, vegetation characteristics and topography.

It is important to monitor daily because it indicates the intensity of fires and the rate of spread. The Fire weather index is used for general public information about fire danger conditions, and is an essential tool for firefighters. Please study it.

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 14^th May

Good morning everyone. Since the blackout across Portugal and Spain on 28^th April, there has been an “awakening” in the media and from various social media groups of the need for emergency kits in case of various emergencies. This is something that Safe Communities Portugal has been promoting since we began our civil protection work around 10 years ago, so it is not new!

There are many occasions why this may be necessary, such as the approach of rural fires, flooding, landslides and during an earthquake. Most natural hazards can be forecasted and prepared for, and part of the preparation should be an emergency kit. And not only for humans. We were pleased to share yesterday a post from the PSP on the need for your animal to also have an emergency kit! As the PSP state “because in disaster situations, every family member matters — even the four-legged ones. Prepare an Animal Emergency Kit.

Safe Communities Portugal will have a stand at ALGARVESAFE’25 from 22^nd to 24^th May, which is being held at the Portimão Arena. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the work of civil protection including civil protection agents such as the: Bombeiros, GNR, PSP, Red Cross, INEM and Judicial Police for example. Our stand will focus of risk awareness and preparedness and will include a sample of an emergency kit. We look forward to seeing you there.

May 12^th was International Nurses Day, celebrating the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, considered the founder of modern nursing in the 19th century. International Nurses Day a day to recognize nurses around the world and celebrate their contributions to the nursing profession. This event was created by the International Council of Nurses, with the aim of affirming and reinforcing the importance of these professionals in providing health care to the population. This year, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) launched an alert and a commitment with the motto “Our Nurses. Our Future. Caring for nurses strengthens health systems and economies”. We thank all of those in the nursing profession and all the fantastic work you do.

A reminder that land cleaning needs to be completed by 31^st May! If you live in a rural area, particularly one of high risk parishes and have not yet started do not delay. With only 2 weeks to go, this coming weekend is a good opportunity to burn cut and piled waste, rather than leave it to later when the fire risk may increase.  Alternatively dispose of waste in other ways such as using shredders with less risk of causing an uncontrolled fire through lack of safety during a burn. Over 50% of fires are caused in this way.

A reminder of the law. From 1^st November to 31^st May (i.e. the period we are in now). Low, Moderate or HIGH fire risk: Requests are made in the form of prior communication (does not require a decision process) Status reported: “Meets conditions”. Contact Câmara Municipal (Municipal Bombeiros) or 808 200 520 or online at https://fogos.icnf.pt/InfoQueimasQueimadas/

Very High or Maximum fire risk “Authorization is required. Initial status reported: Pending awaiting Council decision. Post-decision states reported: “Authorized” or “Unauthorized”. Ensure that if you are burning cut and piled waste all the safety conditions are complied with.

For those of you who attended Fatima, we hope you enjoyed the experience. We thank all the emergency services for the various operations that were put in place to assist pilgrims en-route to Fatima and which attending the event itself.

A relief for many travellers, is the news that today CP workers will be on the last day of a partial strike which has been place for over a week. However, severe restrictions are expected, especially until 8:30 am, but minimum services are guaranteed. The strike includes ticket office operators, ticket inspectors and train drivers. In the case of train drivers, there is also a strike against overtime work. Yesterday more than half of the trains scheduled for the entire day were cancelled, making it necessary to look for alternative ways to reach the destination. Workers are demanding wage increases, the implementation of an agreement to restructure wage scales and the defence of collective bargaining.

We wish you all a safe week ahead.

News

CPCJ received more than 58 thousand danger reports in 2024 and the number of homeless people in emergency rooms spending the night is increasing

The Child and Youth Protection Commissions received more than 58,000 reports of dangerous situations last year. Most of the cases involve domestic violence and neglect. Hospital emergency departments are receiving an increasing number of people living on the streets seeking shelter, food and hygiene. The situation is leaving emergency departments even more overwhelmed.

In 2024, the Child and Youth Protection Commissions (CPCJ) received 58,436 dangerous situations. A good portion, 42%, were transmitted by the security forces, PSP and GNR, and by schools, 18.5%. Few were archived, because 54,707 resulted in new intervention processes. In other words, last year, and adding these to the 34,301 that were carried over from 2023, the CPCJ handled 89,008 processes.

According to data from the Annual Report on the Assessment of the Activity of the Child and Youth Protection Commissions (CPCJ), for the year 2024, released this Tuesday, 4,812 more cases were registered compared to the previous year (84,196), which represents an increase of around 5.5%, although lower than the increase recorded from 2022 to 2023, which was 7.70%. Male children and young people of Portuguese nationality continue to be those most at risk.

However, among the total annual figures, it is worth highlighting that neglect and domestic violence continue to be the main reasons for risk situations for children and young people in various age groups, from zero to 18 years old. The CNPDPCJ annual report also reveals that 19,107 situations of neglect were reported, representing 30.4% of the total.

This was followed by cases of violence, with 17,295 reports, 27.5% of the total. Even so, these represented a decrease of 1.6% compared to the situations in 2023.

On the other hand, there were risk situations that registered an increase in 2024 compared to 2023, such as dangerous behaviour in children and young people, with 11,795 cases reported, representing 18.8% of the total risk situations – 1,425 more cases compared to 2023.

The CNPDPCJ analysis of age groups indicates that the highest number of dangerous situations reported is between the ages of 15 and 18, with 16,045 young people. In all age groups, there is a higher proportion of reports concerning male children compared to female children.

According to the report, there were also a total of 13,373 children and young people diagnosed as needing to apply precautionary measures for promotion and protection in 2024, the age group from 15 to 17 years had the highest incidence, representing 26.9% of the total, with 3,599 young people, of which 1,562 are female and 2,037 are male. Which, the document reinforces, indicates “a predominance of young males (56.6%) in relation to females (43.4%)”.

Regarding precautionary measures – that is, temporary measures to protect, in this case children and young people, from the risk they run, whether in terms of safety, health and well-being – in 2024, 1037 were applied. The majority, according to the report, were applied to male children, especially in the age group of 0 to 5 years, with the most applied precautionary measures, 935, (90.2%) being in natural living environments (Support Together with Parents) and 102 placements (9.8%) in institutions.

On the other hand, the Support for Another Family Member measure increased from 7.8% in 2023 to 7.7% in 2024. The Trust in a Suitable Person measure remained stable, representing 1.0% in both years, as did the Support for Life Autonomy measure, representing 0.5% of the total measures in both years. The Family Shelter measure increased from 0.4% in 2023 to 0.5% in 2024.

“I’m Here!”. PSP program has already given out 623,197 bracelets and found 58 children

The PSP is launching this Wednesday the 2025 edition of the “Estou Aqui! Crianças” program, under which 623,197 bracelets have already been assigned, allowing minors who are temporarily lost from their families to be located.

Since the start of the program in 2012, the PSP has promoted the “rapid reunion” of 58 children with their families.

Last year, 67,175 bracelets were issued, according to data from the Public Security Police (PSP).

This year, 17,349 bracelets have already been awarded, and through the program, it has been possible to reunite a child with their family.

To mark the launch of the 2025 edition before the holidays, the PSP is promoting an event at the Zoo in Lisbon, with the participation of around 300 children from the 1st Cycle.

The Program was created in partnership with the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Internal Administration, the Child Support Institute and the General Directorate of School Establishments, among other entities.

If the child wearing the bracelet is lost, any adult who finds him/her should contact the PSP via the national emergency number (112), inform them of where he/she is and the code of the bracelet that the child has with him/her.

The PSP takes care of the rest, in order to guarantee the child’s safety and family reunion.

Joining this initiative does not involve any cost and the bracelet is valid until the end of the calendar year in which it is requested.

The bracelets are intended for children aged between two and 15 years old and have a unique alphanumeric code, unrelated to any personal data. They are valid throughout the country and can be requested by children residing in Portugal or on holiday.

Bracelets must be ordered through the Estou Aqui! Crianças Program website at https://estouaqui.mai.gov.pt/Pages/Home.htm.

After registration, applicants must go to the chosen PSP Police Station to collect their bracelets.

The platform is managed by PSP and personal data is used solely and exclusively in the context of the program.

The PSP gives parents some advice that they should give to their children: if they become disoriented and do not recognize anyone around them, they should stay where they are. If they see a police officer, they should ask for help.

The child must also know that the bracelet contains a code to call 112.