Portugal plans November delivery of emergency radios to northern local councils

Portugal is moving into a new phase of its local emergency communications programme. SIRESP SA president Paulo Viegas Nunes says 4,000 radio terminals have been purchased and are being configured before distribution. The first deliveries are expected in November to parish councils in the North.

What equipment is planned for local authorities?

Under the Recovery and Resilience Plan, parish councils are expected to receive tools such as SIRESP radios, satellite phones, Starlink data connections and generators for use during emergencies. This does not mean that every item has already reached every parish.

SIRESP says the northern rollout will be followed by gradual distribution elsewhere. Device coding and on-site validation are part of the implementation timetable.

The generator procurement dispute

The failure to purchase a planned batch of 780 generators remains the subject of administrative and political disagreement. SIRESP management says the required power capacity and tender budget did not match, and expects the process to be revisited.

For residents, the programme aims to improve communications resilience during disasters. The announced timetable should not be mistaken for confirmation that the new equipment is already operational in every locality.