With the aim of strengthening the culture of safety and resilience in the region, the Famalicão Municipal Civil Protection Service is promoting the 18th edition of Civil Protection Month throughout March. The initiative aims to bring citizens closer to the various emergency services and raise awareness in the community of the fundamental role that each person plays in risk prevention and in responding to emergency or disaster situations.
The programme pays special attention to the school community and the general population through various awareness-raising activities that will take place throughout the municipality. Among the topics highlighted is the control of the invasive species Asian hornet (Vespa velutina), with information sessions and the distribution of traps to the community in places such as the parish councils of Joane, Ribeirão and Calendário.
The programme also includes initiatives focused on caring for others and promoting active and vigilant citizenship through the motto ‘Me and Others, Let's Take Care’, with actions planned for the Bairro Kindergarten and the Riba de Ave Primary School. Another highlight is the activity ‘We Are All Civil Protection,’ which will take place at the Neighbourhood Social Centre, reinforcing the idea that safety is everyone's responsibility.
One of the most important moments of the programme will be the RNM_Sevex 2026 exercise, on 7 March at 10 a.m. This is a simulation designed to test the response capacity to a potential industrial accident at the RNM – Chemical Products facilities. The exercise will serve as a test of the readiness, articulation, and coordination of the resources involved in complex scenarios, allowing for the evaluation of procedures and the reinforcement of operational response capacity in the field.
Promoted and conducted by the Municipal Civil Protection Service, the drill will mobilise various civil protection agents, with special emphasis on the municipality's three fire brigades, which will play a central role in rescue, firefighting and risk mitigation operations. Various services and entities with responsibilities in the field of protection and rescue will also be involved in a joint coordination and response effort.
The exercise will be carried out with real resources, in LIVEX (Live Exercise) format, which means that all participating entities will act on the ground as if it were a real incident, taking the necessary actions to resolve it.
Famalicão Civil Protection Month closes with a focus on internal training, through specific fire safety training for municipal employees, reinforcing the collective commitment to the protection of people and property.
