Law No. 100/V/99 on the Basic Civil Protection Act.

This Law, consisting of 38 articles divided into six Chapters, establishes the basic legislation on Civil Protection. It aims at protecting and preventing risks caused by serious accidents, catastrophes or calamities of natural or technological origin and to curb their effects whenever these situations occur, helping people and goods in danger. The main objectives of the civil protection are: a) Prevent the occurrence of serious accidents, disasters and calamities; b) Mitigate the risks of these phenomena and limit their effects; c) Rescue and assist people in danger; d) Contribute to the restoration of normality, in the affected areas. Civil protection activity is mainly carried out in the following areas: a) Survey, forecast, monitoring, evaluation and prevention of risks of serious accidents, disasters and calamities; b) Permanent analysis of vulnerabilities in the face of situations of serious accident, catastrophes and calamities; c) Awareness raising of self-protection and collaboration with the authorities; d) Inventory of resources and means that can be mobilized for civil protection purposes; e) Study and dissemination of appropriate forms of protection for buildings in general, monuments and other cultural assets, facilities for essential services, and natural resources; f) Elaboration of operational plans for situations of serious accidents, disasters and calamities, etc.