Montijo is strengthening risk prevention and the preparation of the territory and population for emergency situations, through international cooperation, on-site interventions that have already cleared more than 350 drains and over 50 sumps, awareness campaigns, and new family support tools.
At the council meeting on October 28, the President of the Montijo Municipal Chamber, Fernando Caria, highlighted five advances in this area, including the municipality's integration into the participation mechanism of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, of UNDRR, a United Nations body dedicated to this matter, making Montijo the first Portuguese municipality to join this mechanism.
This participation consolidates the municipality's presence in four cooperation networks: the Sendai Framework, MCR2030 – Resilient Cities, the Resilient Cities Network of the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities (ANMP), and the Security and Civil Protection Working Group of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area.
As part of preparations for the winter period, the cleaning of drains and sumps resulted in the removal of over 15 tons of sand, soil, and debris that were compromising water drainage. The work, coordinated by the Municipal Civil Protection Service, DOSUA, and the Municipal Water and Sanitation Services (SMAS), also includes interventions on watercourses, prioritizing locations where risks to people, property, and infrastructure are greatest.
During the meeting, Fernando Caria acknowledged the commitment of the involved workers and stressed the importance of continuing to reduce the territory's vulnerabilities. “We cannot guarantee a winter without incidents, but we can guarantee that we are doing everything within our power to reduce vulnerabilities and improve the drainage conditions of the municipality,” he stated.
Population empowerment is another priority. The 2026-2027 plan includes 50 training and awareness actions aimed at schools, parish councils, and the Senior University, directly involving over 1,500 participants and indirectly reaching more than 6,000 people.
Another announced advance was the launch, scheduled for November 5, of a free application dedicated to preparing a family emergency plan and a survival kit. The tool aims to help families prepare for emergency situations, complementing the awareness work carried out in the municipality.
On the same day, the Municipal Civil Protection Service will accompany the “A Terra Treme” (The Earth Trembles) exercises in several Montijo schools, reinforcing the link between school-based preparedness and the adoption of preventive measures at home.
“These five advances reflect a clear political choice: to place prevention at the center of municipal governance,” the president emphasized, advocating for the continuation of planning, cooperation, and community preparedness work to make the municipality safer and more resilient.
