SOME ASPECTS ON NATIONAL CRISIS PREPAREDNESS IN FINLAND Pentti Partanen Director General, Rescue Services Ministry of the Interior
FINLAND IN EUROPE
SOME FACTS ABOUT FINLAND Population: 5,2 million Area: 338 000 sq.km Greatest extension from north to south: 1160 km Number of lakes: 188 000 lakes Language: 94 % Finnish 5 % Swedish 1 % Sámi Population density: 16 people/sq.km 65 % in urban areas 35 % in rural areas Foreign citizens: 108 000
BASIC PRINCIPLES IN CRISIS PREPAREDNESS Integration of preparations for peace-time and war-related emergencies All actors are responsible for carrying out their functions in all security situations Close and pragmatic public/private cooperation, military authorities included Application of modern technology Active participation in international crisis management
PREPAREDNESS AND CONTINGENCY PLANNING - basic policy documents (www.vn.fi) Strategy for Securing the Functions Vital to Society (Gvt resolution, 2003) A Safer Community, Internal Security Programme (Gvt resolution, 2004) Finnish Security and Defence Policy (Gvt report to the Parliamant, 2004) Security of Supply (Gvt resolution, 2002)
FUNCTIONS VITAL TO SOCIETY - to be secured in all situations State leadership External capacity to act Nation's military defence Internal security Functioning of the economy and society Securing the livelihood of the population and its capacity to act Population s ability to tolerate crisis situations
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE SECURED Technological infrastructure of society Transportation, logistics and distribution systems Food supply Energy supply Social and health care arrangements Industry and systems related to national defence National Emergency Supply Agency and National Board of Economic Defence provide for cooperation between public and private sectors (www.nesa.fi)
INTERNAL SECURITY PROGRAMME Challenges ahead: Growing social exclusion Ageing population and movement of people from rural to urban areas Vulnerability of the information society Hard crime led from abroad Accidents Terrorism Maintenance of good border security www.intermin.fi
INTERNAL SECURITY PROGRAMME Finland to become the safest country in Europe by 2015 The programme states effectiveness objects, measures to be taken, bodies responsible for implementation, and indicators for evaluating the implementation of the programme
RECENT REFORMS AND APPLICATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES From municipal to regional fire and rescue services Country-wide digital authority radio network Virve (www.virve.com) Integrated 112 response center network (www.112.fi)
MUNICIPALITIES (444) AND REGIONAL RESCUE SERVICES (22)
PERSONNEL IN FIRE AND RESCUES SERVICES 5 000 professional fire fighters 4 300 part-time fire fighters 15 000 volunteer fire fighters A whole host of other authorities and voluntary organisations also take part in rescue services.
Multi-skilled fire-fighters Fire-fighters in Finland are trained as multiskilled rescuers, also in emergency medical services. To become a qualified fire-fighter takes 1,5 years
Civil defence Monitoring of threats Warning the population Sirens, RDS radio messaging Protection in shelters Evacuation Rescue Both public authorities and the private sector are responsible for the preparation of protective measures
Shelters to be built in houses over 600 m 2 (places available for about 3,5 million persons) Private shelters Public shelters
VIRVE RADIO NETWORK Based on Tetra technology Covers the whole country Provides for efficient inter-agency communication Applications available for international crisis management operations
VIRVE RADIO NETWORK Social- and welfare services 30% Customs 4% Others 3% Fire and rescue 20% Police 15% Defence Forces 20% Frontier Guard 8%
REFORM OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE CENTRES Reception of 112 emergency calls for police, rescue, social welfare and health services in integrated centres 92% know 112 Professionally skilled operators (1,5 years training) Sheltered rooms Harmonised IT-systems in the whole country Tetra-based radio communications
STANDARD LAYOUT
112-ERCs 2001-2006 There will be a total of 15 ERCs by 2006 1. ERC of Helsinki Helsinki 2005 2. ERC of West Uusimaa Lohja 2005 3. ERC of East and Central Uusimaa Kerava 2004 4. ERC of South-West Finland Turku 2004 5. ERC of Satakunta Pori 2003 6. ERC of Häme Hämeenlinna 2004 7. ERC of Pirkanmaa Tampere 2004 8. ERC of South-East Finland Kouvola 2002 9. ERC of South Savo Mikkeli 2003 10. ERC of Ostrobothnia Vaasa 2002 11. ERC of Central Finland Jyväskylä 2001 12. ERC of North Savo Kuopio 2003 13. ERC of North Ostrobothnia and Kainuu Oulu 2005 14. ERC of Lapland Rovaniemi 2002 15. ERC of North Karelia Joensuu 2001
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