We work for the safety of the capital of Finland and its residents and visitors. We assess the city’s accident risks and prevent accidents in advance, and we prepare for various emergencies and exceptional situations and for civil defence, even in emergency conditions. Furthermore, we minimise the effects of accidents with rescue operations and emergency medical services.
Rescue services are part of the Ministry of the Interior’s administrative sector and national steering, but organisationally they are part of the City of Helsinki’s Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division.
Helsinki Rescue Department has two sets of tasks:
- The statutory set of tasks for the rescue services, the content of which is defined in the Rescue Act and the funding of which comes from the state.
- Services provided to the City of Helsinki that are not covered by state funding. Such services include certain tasks related to civil defence and the operations of the Helsinki Rescue School.
Organisation of Helsinki City Rescue Department
Helsinki City Rescue Department is managed by Rescue Commander Jani Pitkänen.
Services of the Rescue Department and their managers:
- Rescue and emergency medical service: Rescue Chief Marko Rostedt
- Risk management: Pekka Itkonen, Head of Risk Management
- Security of supply: Arto Kolehmainen, Head of Security of Supply
The management group of Helsinki Rescue Department also includes the following people from the administrative services of the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division:
- Finance: Sonja Ekholm, Chief Controller
- Planning and development unit: Jarmo Koskela, Head of Unit
- Safety and preparedness communications: Anna Lehtiranta, Head of Unit
- Employer and well-being services: Ani Sallinen, Head of Unit
Grounds for operations
The operations of the Rescue Department are based on the following acts, decrees and agreements (in Finnish):
Rescue Act
Emergency Powers Act
Health Care Act
Decree on emergency medical service
