Latest news and stories about emergency communications in Portugal for expats and residents.
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What is missing is not technology. We have the technology. What is missing is the political decision to accept the uncomfortable reality: that rigid, centralised communications systems (such as SIRESP) no longer work.
The national commander for emergency and civil protection admitted on Friday that there were intermittent faults in the SIRESP network following Storm Kristin, but said they were rectified using mobile stations. “We had intermittent faults in the SIRESP network,” Mário Silvestre acknowledged at a conference (SIRESP — Integrated Emergency and Security Network of Portugal) ...
Depression Kristin left several customers without access to telecommunications. Satellite connections using conventional devices have already been tested locally, but there is no commercial service available.
Mário Conde, a civil protection specialist, recognises that the situation in recent days would have been difficult to avoid, but that old problems were repeated, notably in communications.
Speaking from the Military Academy, the President of the Republic said that 'both in prevention and in the response to a very difficult situation', the response 'had problems', but that it was 'relatively quick' in some areas.
Communications stations need generators to remain operational while base infrastructure is restored. Mobile stations are also needed. Operators are concerned.
André Morais, a Civil Protection specialist, recalls that Portugal's Integrated Emergency and Security Networks System (SIRESP) has, “for many years”, had grey areas where there is no coverage.
