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Helsinki City Rescue Department Accessibility statement and data protection notices Accessibility statement The website of the Helsinki City Rescue Department is a part of the website pelastustoimi.fi. See the accessibility statement of the pelast...

Answers to questions about civil defence shelters and protection This page provides answers to common questions about civil defence shelters and protection. Finland is currently not under any military threat. There is no need to take defence shelt...

13.5.2026 | The rescEU Medical Stockpile hosted in Finland reached its full material readiness at the end of April. All products specified in the original plan have now been purchased and stored and they are ready to go. The project was completed on schedule, thanks to seamless cooperation among the different parties.

5.3.2026 | Finland has provided Ukraine with an extensive package of equipment for combating oil spills. The package included donations compiled by the Finnish Border Guard and rescue departments, and materials procured by the Ministry of the Interior. A total of 35 truckloads of oil spill response equipment were delivered to Ukraine.

4.5.2026 | The Ministry of the Interior has launched a project to develop guidance for the public on how to prepare for emergency conditions. The guidance will complement existing preparedness advice in the Preparing for Incidents and Crises guide published on Suomi.fi.

6.3.2026 | Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Germany have agreed to deepen their cooperation on protecting the civilian population and have signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the ministries responsible for civil preparedness. The ministers discussed the Memorandum at a videoconference in February, with Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen representing Finland.

16.4.2026 | Ministers responsible for internal security and preparedness (or their deputies) from Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden will meet in Helsinki on 16 April to discuss how the EU can prepare for security threats and various crises. Sauli Niinistö, former President of Finland, and Hadja Lahbib, the EU Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, will deliver the opening addresses.

International cooperation Finnish rescue services engage in continuous international cooperation with the European Union, the UN, NATO, the Nordic countries and other neighbouring countries alike. The Ministry of the Interior Department for Rescue...

Civil defence Civil protection means assisting and safeguarding the civilian population from dangers during war or similar conditions. Finnish authorities are prepared to protect the population Planning and preparedness for civil protection are pa...

9.3.2026 | Finland’s Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen and Lithuania’s Minister of the Interior Vladislav Kondratovič met in Helsinki on 9 March 2026. The ministers discussed, among other things, the Finnish police system, cooperation related to preparedness, and the countries' common security challenges.

Publications and instructions Instructions and other publications relevant to the rescue services are published by the Ministry of the Interior, mainly in the ministry's publication series, but also by such actors as the Emergency Services Academy...

Ministry of the Interior Department for Rescue Services The Department for Rescue Services directs and oversees rescue services. The Department is led by Kimmo Kohvakka, Director General for Rescue Services. The Ministry of the Interior Department...

9.1.2026 | Finland has sent material assistance to Ukraine from the EU-funded rescEU strategic stockpile for the third time. The deployment from Finland included supplies to respond to chemical, biological and radiological threats, as well as medical items.

Länsi-Uusimaa Rescue Department Preparedness Preparedness refers to activities aimed at securing disruption-free operational capability and any exceptional measures potentially needed in abnormal and emergency conditions. Preparedness refers to pl...

Rescue services Accident prevention, rescue operations, preparedness and civil defence form a coherent system in Finland that covers all types of incidents from daily accidents to major disasters. The Ministry of the Interior guides and directs em...

Oil heating systems Below are instructions relating to oil heating systems and oil tanks. Contact your local rescue department for further information. Rescue departments will serve you in non-urgent matters during office hours. Oil tank inspectio...

National and regional risk assessments The objective of Finland's national risk assessment is to anticipate sudden events affecting Finland which require the authorities to take exceptional action or even request assistance from other countries. A...

Helsinki City Rescue Department Civil defence in Helsinki Civil defence is a humanitarian activity aimed at protecting the population and securing society’s ability to function in emergency conditions. Civil defence is a humanitarian activity that...

About the site and information on pelastustoimi.fi The online service pelastustoimi.fi provides information on the activities of rescue services and regional rescue departments and helps users use the online services. The Ministry of the Interior ...

Alarm signal The general alarm signal is a regularly rising and falling sound lasting for one minute, or a warning issued by the authorities using loudspeakers. The rising and falling sounds last for seven seconds each. An emergency warning is alw...