PSD deputy Joana Silva took to the podium to present a proposed legislative decree to create the Regional System for Monitoring and Communication of Risk, Special Alert, and Public Warning, arguing that the initiative will strengthen the Region’s prevention, protection, and emergency response capabilities.
Presenting the proposal, the parliamentarian stressed that “the protection of people, lives and property, risk monitoring and the provision of assistance and relief are the foundations of the mission and action of Civil Protection.”
The Social Democrat deputy noted that Madeira faces specific challenges arising from its archipelagic nature and complex geography, combined with the increasing frequency of extreme weather events.
“We know that, in dangerous situations, minutes can make the difference between safety and tragedy. We also know that the right information, transmitted at the right time and by the right entities, saves lives,” she said.
The legislative initiative seeks to adapt the framework established by Decree-Law No. 2/2019 of 11 January to the Autonomous Region, creating a dedicated regional system for risk monitoring and communication.
According to Joana Silva, the proposal establishes clear rules governing the flow of information between civil protection authorities, operational agents, and the technical and scientific bodies involved in risk monitoring and management.
“The diploma creates the Regional System for Monitoring and Risk Communication, Special Alert and Public Warning,” she said, adding that it “defines who monitors, who communicates, who issues alerts and who warns the population”, while also establishing the procedures, responsibilities and coordination mechanisms required to ensure an effective response.
“Our proposal reinforces the capacity already in place and integrates it with the Integrated System for Protection and Rescue Operations of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, ensuring a faster, more coordinated, and more effective response,” she maintained.
Joana Silva was keen to emphasise that the initiative does not involve creating new administrative structures but rather adapts the national framework to the specific needs of the Autonomous Region.
“We are not creating additional structures or expanding the bureaucratic machine. We are adapting a national regime to the realities of an outermost region, exposed to particular natural risks and requiring its own mechanisms of organisation and response,” she said.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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