Emergency Preparedness in Portugal
Wildfires every summer, Atlantic storms in winter, a real earthquake and tsunami risk, and the blackout of 28 April 2025 that left the whole country without power: Portugal has good reasons to take preparedness seriously. Since then, the 72-hour kit has become a priority for Portuguese families. This page explains the essentials in English for residents, students, workers and visitors.
Emergency numbers
- 112 All emergencies: ambulance, fire and police
- 808 24 24 24 SNS 24, the national health service advice line
How you will be warned
- Text messages from Civil Protection. The national authority, ANEPC, sends SMS warnings to phones in areas at risk, for example on days of extreme fire danger or severe weather. You do not register.
- Weather warnings. The weather institute IPMA issues warnings in three colours: yellow, orange and red, by district and by type of weather.
- Radio and television. Keep a battery radio. During the 2025 blackout it was the main source of information for many hours.
- Local sirens exist in some places, such as fire stations and the surroundings of dams and industrial sites, but there is no general national siren signal to rely on.
What the authorities ask you to have at home
Portuguese authorities work on the assumption that outside help can take up to three days to reach every address, and ask households to be self-sufficient for 72 hours:
- Water and non-perishable food for three days. Plan at least 3 litres of water per person per day.
- Light: flashlight, spare batteries, matches and candles
- Information: a portable battery or crank radio, and a charged power bank
- Health: a first aid kit and essential medicines
- Warmth: sturdy clothes and blankets
- Documents: copies of important documents in a waterproof bag
- Cash: some notes, in case electronic payments stop working
- Special needs: baby formula, pet food, spare glasses
Authorities also ask families to agree an emergency plan: where to meet if there is no mobile coverage, and who collects the children.
Work out the amounts with our kit calculator and see the 72-hour kit on a budget and Make a Plan.
Main risks to prepare for
- Wildfires and smoke in summer, especially in the centre and north
- Atlantic storms and floods in winter
- Heatwaves and drought
- Earthquakes and tsunamis, above all in Lisbon, the Algarve and the Azores
- Power outages and communication failures
- Volcanic and seismic activity in the Azores
Words you will see and hear
- Proteção Civil: Civil Protection
- Aviso amarelo, laranja, vermelho: yellow, orange, red warning
- Kit de emergência: emergency kit
- Incêndio rural: wildfire
- Perigo de incêndio: fire danger
- Apagão: blackout
- Cheias: floods
- Sismo: earthquake
- Bombeiros: fire service
- Ponto de encontro: meeting point
Official information
- ANEPC, National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (Portuguese)
- IPMA: weather and sea warnings, in English
- SNS 24: health advice
See emergency preparedness in other European countries.
Sources
- Diário de Notícias: the 72-hour kit, a new priority for Portuguese families (Portuguese)
- The Portugal Post: how to assemble a 72-hour emergency kit
Independent educational summary, not an official publication. Always follow instructions from Portuguese authorities. Last reviewed: November 2026.