Maritime Incident Response Group MIRG
Obliged by the Maritime Search and Rescue Act, we participate in sea rescue operations led by the Finnish Border Guard. Helsinki Rescue Department has a specially trained MIRG (Maritime Incident Response Group) in accordance with the Maritime Search and Rescue Act and the international maritime regulations.
The MIRG operations supported by sea rescue helicopters complement the operations of our fleet. The MIRG specialises in extinguishing ship fires and other challenging maritime accidents throughout the Baltic Sea.
The members of the group normally work as rescuers in shifts. The MIRG is formed immediately when the Border Guard’s Maritime Rescue Command Centre alerts it as a request for official assistance. The departure time for a maritime duty is 20 minutes. The group moves to the operational area by a helicopter of the Border Guard or the Defence Forces. MIRG duties include ship fires, evacuations and other rescue missions in the Baltic Sea, as well as disasters in land areas.
The Finnish Border Guard is the leading maritime rescue authority. MIRG operations are guided by a national steering group under the Ministry of the Interior, and they include a lot of international development and cooperation. The Finnish MIRGs are located in Helsinki and at Southwest Finland Emergency Services in Turku.
