Congratulations to VOST Portugal‘s team for the award received yesterday in Brussels, given by MEDEA Project. VOST Portugal‘s own concept of Virtual Operations Support Team, with a strong focus on real time communication and technological open source development was deemed, by the evaluators, as a “security proposal with expected significant impact” for practitioners responding to “natural hazards and technological accidents” challenges.
Regarding this award Jorge Gomes, VOST Portugal’s National Coordinator and European Operations Coordinator for VOST Europe wrote:
“There are several models of VOST in VOST EUROPE . VOST Portugal has been able to tap into people, with a diverse professional and academic background, that allows it to support decision making, develop open source solutions in record time, and communicate – in a shareable way – before, during, and after a disaster occurs, while debunking in real time disinformation regarding these events. This award is the yet another recognition of the power that civil society can have in today’s society. Well done to all of those VOST Portugal!”
Patrícia Gaspar, Secretary of State for Civil Protection in the Home Affairs Ministry of the Portuguese Government, wrote on Twitter “Our paths crossed a few years ago… a few…. And it has been a privilege to accompany the delivery of @VOSTPT to the public cause and to the Civil Protection in particular. A huge thank you for all the collaboration and congratulations on the path chosen”