Kimmo Kohvakka to continue to serve as Director General for Rescue Services

On Thursday 21 September, the Government appointed Kimmo Kohvakka, Master of Military Science, as Director General for Rescue Services at the Ministry of the Interior for the period from 1 November 2023 to 31 October 2028.

Kimmo Kohvakka has served as Director General for Rescue Services at the Ministry of the Interior since 2018. Kohvakka has previously worked as Director of the Division of Rescue Services and Preparedness at the Regional State Administrative Agency for Southern Finland, as Managing Director at the Finnish National Rescue Association and in various positions at the City of Helsinki Rescue Department and the Central Uusimaa Rescue Department.

“Changes in the operating environment currently pose major challenges to security systems of society. Structural changes in society, rapid technological advances, climate change, extreme weather events and the security situation in Europe all have an effect on the requirements for the rescue services. I am very pleased that I can continue to work together with our staff, stakeholders and operators in the sector to develop rescue services, civil defence, regional preparedness and emergency response centre operations,” says Kohvakka.

The Department for Rescue Services of the Ministry of the Interior directs, guides and supervises rescue services and maintains oversight of their coverage and quality. The Department is in charge of the preparedness of rescue services at national level and develops cooperation of various ministries and sectors in the field of rescue services. Each year, the Department for Rescue Services holds annual negotiations with the wellbeing services counties on the fulfilment of rescue services duties under their responsibility.

The Director General for Rescue Services manages the operations of the Department. The Director General is responsible for the management of legislative drafting in the sector, the effective and efficient management of the sets of duties related to the guidance of the rescue services and the government agencies in the administrative branch, international cooperation in the field of rescue services within the remit of the Ministry, and the overall development of the sector.
 

Inquiries:
Kirsi Pimiä, Permanent Secretary, tel. +358 295 418 803, firstname.lastname@gov.fi