Opinion (Rogério COPETO / Official GNR): MORE THAN VALE EVACUATE MAKE GOOD.
At a time when an interruption occurs in the occurrence of fires, by reason of changing weather conditions, after having assisted the country to burn for two months, we propose a reflection on the evacuation of settlements that have occurred in recent weeks.
Rogério COPETO
Lieutenant Colonel of the GNR
Master in Law and Security and Homeland Security Auditor
Head of the Education Division / Command Doctrine and Training
We are sure that one of the consequences of the tragic fire Pedrógão Grande, occurred 17 June, that killed 64 people and wounded two hundred, It has been decided by the evacuation of the inhabitants of any and all village who were in the path of the fire, to avoid a repeat of the tragedy of Pedrógão Grande and the consequent loss of civilian life.
In addition to other possible consequences that will be taken later this year by reason, not only the fire Pedrógão Grande, as well as all other major fires that have destroyed nearly two hundred thousand hectares of forest and dozens of homes, will be introducing the lexicon of Portuguese, the concept of "preventive evacuation", used and applied countless times and have forced the displacement of thousands of people and the evacuation of hundreds of villages, nationwide, the fact that we were not used, in that it is an exceptional measure.
In addition to this exceptional measure, whose main concern save lives, at the expense of fighting fires, also roadblocks, that occurred in a large number this year, also they have limited freedom of movement of so many people.
The constant cutting of roads and the successive preventive evacuations of settlements, which have been decided by the responsible authorities, a number, that despite being unknown until now, It was with the highest certainty in living memory, He forced a workforce commitment of GNR, the implementation of these measures, for being competence of Security Force, concluding however that this high number of preventive evacuations and road closures, They have been responsible for the lack of civilian casualties, from the fire Pedrogão Grande, despite all these evacuations and road cuts could be considered as overzealous.
As mentioned above the evacuation of people, a forest fire, It is a measure expepcional, there are very few references in official documents, settlements on the evacuation, lying in "National Operational Directive No. 2" (DON2), the National Authority for Civil Protection (ANPC) and approving the DECIF 2017, only three references to the word "evacuation", all of them relating to the tasks assigned to the GNR, PSP and Armed Forces (DOES).
In the task assigned to the GNR is stated that "in addition to the fulfillment of the tasks that are legally committed them, still carries the mission support the evacuation of populations at risk", for PSP is referred "leads, to do y ou do CODES COS, in the territorial area of ​​competence, support missions evacuation populations at risk"FA and it is stated that"a request ANPC, and according to their own plans and availability of resources, cooperate to support the evacuation of people in danger", concluding that the evacuation of people must be performed by the GNR, PSP and FA.
Regarding the decision to evacuate people, this should happen on average fire or major, if any reinforcement means and is activated its Municipal Emergency Plan, evacuation being decided by the municipal responsible for civil protection, assigning the responsibility of running the GNR, with the help of firefighters, DOES, municipalities and the INEM.
Unlike evacuations of buildings, by Urban fire cause, where this procedure is planned and trained, the evacuations of settlements, because of forest fire, planning is minimal and non-existent training, made the measure difficult to implement, only the cooperation of the population makes it possible, so the information is essential, The further ANPC produced a booklet called "What to do in case of forest fire"Which states that" andm case of evacuation, help children leave home, seniors, and disabled. Do not go back for any reason. The authorities only advise evacuation if there is danger to your life", confirming the uniqueness measure, which is only implemented when there is danger of life for the populations.
Despite being an exceptional measure, Miniature planning and nonexistent training, As the evacuation populations was determined from 17 June, dozens of times, always successfully, verifying that the professionalism of GNR military that performed, promoting the evacuation of thousands of people, It contributed greatly so that no life was lost.
Despite having not been present in any of these evacuations and assisted them only able through the TV, venture to give my perspective on the subject, because while Évora Territorial Detachment Commander was also given me this responsibility, during the burning of the Serra d'Ossa in August 2006.
The so-called fire Sierra d'Ossa began on 7 August, by 11.00 am, no Monte Infante, na Serra D'Bones, county Estremoz, having immediately propagated to the municipalities of Borba, Viçosa, Redondo village and the third day deserved night's visit, na height, Minister of State and Internal Administration Minister and 1st in office, Dr. António Costa.
The fourth day, after having witnessed the rescue of three human lives, a great heroic act carried out by a fireman, Firemen Estremoz Volunteers, whose Municipality of Estremoz assign it to him in 2007, the Exemplary Conduct Medal – Grade Silver and aided in helicopter evacuation, three injured firefighters, belonging to the Volunteer Firemen of Arraiolos, who were victims of a rollover fighting vehicle carrying the, I had to plan, for tonight, evacuation of Sierra Village, located in the Serra d'Ossa, after the Civil Governor has enabled the District Emergency Plan, as realized at the time the blog "Estremoz debate" quoting LUSA, in article 10 August 2006 with the title "No respite fire evacuates Aldeia da Serra".
Responsibility for the evacuation of Aldeia da Serra was awarded by the Civil Governor to GNR, which included the Army effective collaboration, namely a military squad of former New School Sales Practice and one from Santa Margarida, that under the command of the GNR mission was to make a village of scanning, in order to anyone staying in the home, for what guidelines were sent to the Army military that its role was legitimized, taking into account the manner provided in the legitimate defense of others and therefore no civilian could thwart their evacuation orders.
In order to implement the evacuation was also necessary to establish emergency corridors, where the necessary and sufficient vehicles were placed, for people's transport, including ambulances and buses, where the municipal logistics played a major role, in preparing the local host of the Sierra Village residents.
However also the means to fight the fire were reinforced with civil track machines and the coming military Regiment Tancos Engineering, which proved fundamental in controlling the fire, having attended again this evening in the theater the Minister of State and Internal Administration Minister and 1st in office, only leaving the place in the next morning, after having verified the evacuation of Sierra not necessary Village, once the fire was in limited.
Despite not having the evacuation of Aldeia da Serra it has been necessary, It was possibly the far more complex that had to comply, verifying that this outcome was only possible, thanks to the work of the firefighters who fought life-threatening fire and the conduct of military professionalism of GNR, revealed that in all selfless commitment and courage situations, having responded efficiently and effectively to all requests submitted to it, constantly adapting to developments in, where knowledge of the theater of operations was a huge added value, collecting essential information in predicting the evacuation of populations, which turned out not to be necessary.
