Disaster risk awareness and preparedness of the EU population: Portugal

A survey on disaster risk awareness and preparedness in Portugal shows that citizens feel most vulnerable to wildfires and forest fires (49%), followed by extreme weather events (40%) and floods (34%). Apart from trust in public authorities, citizens have a lower level of disaster awareness than the EU average and primarily rely on national media, emergency agencies, and family and friends for information. This gap is significant. The preparedness measures they have taken are focused on specific areas, but generally, they lag behind the EU average, indicating a need for increased efforts to involve them in disaster preparedness. They also demonstrate average trust in public authorities and emergency management agencies regarding disaster response.

This serial survey assesses the awareness of EU citizens about the disaster risks that could affect them, their preparedness to face various disaster risk scenarios, and the reliance they place on a range of actors in disaster situations. The survey also explores the engagement of EU citizens in voluntary work to increase disaster resilience.