Inter‑agency cooperation at the core of the Rescue Department’s exercise

The Helsinki City Rescue Department, the Police, the Defence Forces, and Helsinki’s Social and Crisis Emergency Services carried out a joint exercise related to major-accident response and inter-agency cooperation in Myllypuro on Wednesday, 6 May 2026.

For the Rescue Department, such exercises are statutory activities. Skills are maintained and developed regularly through both internal training and exercises organised with other authorities. This exercise focused on inter-agency cooperation through a more extensive and demanding training scenario than usual.

“The exercise included, among other things, a hazardous materials incident and a situation in which the Police and the Defence Forces trained to secure rescue operations. At the heart of multi-agency cooperation is the ability to coordinate joint efforts. In addition to rescue operations, we practised requesting and providing official assistance as well as communication”, says Marko Rostedt, Rescue Chief at the Helsinki City Rescue Department.

“I am especially pleased that colleagues from Stockholm took part in the exercise. We have a well‑functioning cooperation in which we learn from one another by regularly training together for situations that the rescue services of capital cities may face,” Rostedt says.

The Social and Crisis Emergency Services play a key role in supporting and assisting people affected by an accident. The crisis unit provides help in sudden and serious crisis situations, such as fires or other accidents.

“Social and Crisis Emergency Services arrive at the accident site to assess the need for immediate crisis support for both those directly involved in the incident and those exposed to it. They also provide support, listen, and assist people. We are also responsible for supporting the victims’ families. It is important to ensure that no one is left alone in the situation. We work in close cooperation with other authorities and help ensure that rescuers and the police can focus on their core tasks. Large-scale multi-agency exercises like this give us an opportunity to further refine our cooperation and operating models”, says Pia Mäkeläinen, Head of Social and Crisis Emergency Services.

The exercise also involved the rescue departments of Uusimaa, the Emergency Response Centre Agency, Finnhems, and the HUS Situation Centre. In the exercise, a large group of Stadin AO’s emergency medical care and practical nursing students, as well as security sector students, acted as the emergency care patients and those exposed to the accident.

Rescue department thanks everyone who took part in the exercise!