Civil defence

Rescue authorities take precautions to protect people and property in the event of an emergency. The activities of government offices and agencies and production plants essential to maintain the proper functioning of society must also be safeguarded. The responsibility for civil defence managed by public authorities in Finland rests with the State, rescue service regions and municipalities.

In addition to the activities of the authorities, civil defence involves the self-preparedness of companies and other organisations, property owners, and citizens. During a state of emergency, approximately 250,000 people are needed for tasks related to self-preparedness.

In normal conditions, civil defence preparedness includes:

The Department for Rescue Services at the Ministry of the Interior is responsible for steering civil defence planning. The Department issues guidelines to the authorities on civil defence preparedness and organisation, and on the required collaboration. At the provincial level, State Provincial Offices have the same responsibility.

The Ministry of the Interior and State Provincial Offices may order civil defence managers and other specialist civil defence personnel to participate in civil defence training. State and municipal officeholders are responsible for carrying out the civil defence duties associated with their posts, preparing for the duties, and for taking part in relevant training.

Regional rescue services collaborate with the municipalities of the region to draft plans for protecting the population. Furthermore, they maintain the readiness of their own organisation for civil defence duties, and ensure self-preparedness for exceptional circumstances. The rescue, first-aid, ambulance service and supply groups needed for civil defence purposes are not set up until an emergency arises, at which point a total of approximately 85,000 people will handle these tasks.

Command centres equipped with communications links are built during normal conditions. In situations of emergency, the Ministry of the Interior, provinces, and rescue services regions will bring these centres into use. Each municipality must also build a command centre that can function during any emergency situation.

In new development projects, property owners must include a civil defence shelter in buildings of at least 600 m2. If necessary, municipalities must build a public shelter to protect the occupants of each protection target. In this context, ‘protection target’ means an area or place that is likely to be attacked in the event of danger.

Civil defence shelters must afford protection from radiation, gases and conventional weapons. Finland has civil defence shelters for nearly 3.4 million people. They are located in residential and public buildings. Of the shelters, 40 per cent are associated with workplaces and 60 per cent with dwellings. The public shelters can house 110,000 people in total. There are generally no shelters in the countryside and areas of private housing.

Page modified: 27.6.2006