The Helsinki Rescue School trains firefighter–paramedics for the Helsinki City Rescue Department. The Rescue School’s curriculum follows the curriculum of the Emergency Services Academy Finland, supplemented with studies covering the capital city’s special characteristics. The vocational training programme includes a lot of practical exercises and on-the-job learning and lasts for two years.
The application period for the Rescue School’s firefighter courses is always early in the year in January, with the studies beginning at the start of September. The detailed application instructions will be published on this website well before the application period opens.
Entrance tests:
The first phase of the entrance tests focusses on testing the physical functional capacity of all applicants and their ability to swim. Muscular endurance is measured by means of repetition tests. The measurement targets are the abdominal muscles, upper body muscles and leg muscles.
| Part performance |
Minimum requirement |
| Bench press |
45 kg / 60 s / 25 krt |
| Sit-up |
34 krt / 60 s |
| Pull-up (underhand) |
6 krt |
| Squat |
45 kg / 60 s / 23 krt |
| Swimming |
200m / 4min 45s |
| Cooper test (12 min.) |
2800 m (suoritus erillisenä päivänä |
The applicant must achieve the set minimum performance requirements in all tests and must not display a fear of the dark, heights or confined spaces.
Model performances of the muscular endurance tests: Watch videos of the model performances of the muscular endurance tests on the website of the Emergency Services Academy Finland.
On the basis of the physical aptitude tests as well as success at school, work experience and special expertise, approximately 65 applicants with the highest number of points will continue to the interview phase and, on the basis of the interview phase, approximately 35 applicants will be invited to psychological aptitude tests. They assess the applicant’s suitability for this line of work. The tests include individual and group assignments as well as interviews.
