Search

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...

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...

Construction of civil defence shelters for new builds The authority granting building permits may, based on a case-by-case assessment and after consulting the rescue authority, grant exemptions from the technical requirements as well as location a...

Instructions for pet owners in civil defence situations Finland is not currently facing an immediate military threat. In the unlikely event of a war in which you would have to go to a civil defence shelter, leave your pet at home. It is the safest...

Helsinki City Rescue Department Volunteer work in civil defence The third sector, various foundations and organisations, are the Rescue Department’s important partners in organising civil defence. We have been cooperating for decades, and several ...

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...

Helsinki City Rescue Department Civil defence shelters in Helsinki A civil defence shelter is a space or building that protects people from explosions and splinter effects, building collapses, shock waves and hazardous substances and radiation. A ...

Helsinki City Rescue Department Questions and answers about civil defence Frequently asked questions about civil defence in Helsinki and Finland. What is civil defence? Civil defence refers to the performance of humanitarian tasks aimed at protect...

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.

Helsinki City Rescue Department Instructions for the management of property specific civil defence shelters The condition and readiness for use of the civil defence shelter in the building are the responsibility of the owner or holder of the build...

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.

Materials for housing companies on civil defense shelters This page provides useful links and resources for housing companies. For more details, please contact your local rescue department. General Guides and Instructions How to activate and use c...

21.1.2026 | The Ministry of the Interior has published three new guides containing practical instructions on how to use and maintain civil defence shelters and on how to draw up emergency plans. The guides are intended, for example, to support building owners (such as housing companies) and other building operators.

19.3.2025 | The Finnish Ministry of the Interior and the Ukrainian Ministry of Strategic Industries signed a joint letter of intent concerning cooperation on civil defence shelters on 19 March 2025 in connection with the meeting between President of the Republic Alexander Stubb and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

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.

8.12.2025 | The Finnish Ministry of the Interior and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) have agreed to deepen cooperation across different sectors. The cooperation emphasises support for Ukraine's international civil defence coalition. 

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.

Sheltering indoors Sheltering indoors is the most important means of protecting yourself against threats from outside. These situations may include toxic gas in the environment, harmful smoke or a person behaving in a threatening way. Sheltering i...

Helsinki City Rescue Department Volunteer work Organisations operating on the basis of voluntary work and contract fire brigades are an important part of Helsinki City Rescue Department’s operations. Organisations operating on the basis of volunta...

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...