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Rescue operations Rescue operations cover: receiving emergency calls issuing warnings to the public preventing potential accidents or hazards protecting people, property and the environment against danger, and rescuing accident victims extinguishi...

Rescue service operators and responsibilities Rescue departments carry out rescue service duties in their respective regions There are 21 regional rescue departments in Finland. Rescue departments carry out rescue service duties in their respectiv...

International operations of the rescue services International cooperation with the European Union, United Nations, NATO, the Nordic countries and other neighbouring countries is part of the daily work of the rescue services. Finland may provide in...

Government Programme measures to reform rescue services and emergency response centre operations The Government aims to ensure high-quality rescue services throughout the country. Rescue services must be of high quality and carried out in a unifor...

Government Programme measures to reform rescue services and emergency response centre operations The Government aims to ensure high-quality rescue services throughout the country. Rescue services must be of high quality and carried out in a unifor...

24.9.2026 | Denmark and Greenland have requested assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for an advisory mission in Greenland. The mission aims to help Greenland prepare for potential natural disasters and support the preparedness efforts of the Greenlandic authorities. As the climate warms, the Arctic is undergoing rapid change and is particularly vulnerable to environmental risks and other impacts.

Preparedness is the key for the rescue services

Rescue services The Ministry of the Interior guides and directs emergency response centre operations, and prepares related legislation. The aim is to build a safe and crisis-resilient Finland. There are 21 regional rescue departments in Finland, w...

The Border Guard directs maritime search and rescue The Border Guard is the authority responsible for directing maritime search and rescue missions. Maritime search and rescue covers search and rescue of people in distress at sea, provision of pre...

The Border Guard directs maritime search and rescue The Border Guard is the authority responsible for directing maritime search and rescue missions. Maritime search and rescue covers search and rescue of people in distress at sea, provision of pre...

Rescue services reform aimed at improving services Under the Act on Organising Rescue Services, adopted in June 2021, the wellbeing services counties and the City of Helsinki are responsible for organising rescue services from the beginning of 202...

Border management operators and responsibilities Responsibility for performing the duties of the Border Guard rests with nine administrative units. These units are the Border Guard Headquarters (which also operates as the Ministry’s Border Guard D...

17.10.2025 | The Rescue Borealis exercise, conducted in Finland between August and October 2025, brought together around 700 professionals from healthcare, rescue services and other security authorities from Finland, Sweden, Norway and Germany. This multi-agency exercise, which was mainly funded by the European Commission and focused on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats (CBRN), was reportedly the largest of its kind in Europe in recent years.

30.6.2026 | The Ministry of the Interior invites views on a draft government proposal to amend the Act on Emergency Warnings. The amendments would make the legislative changes required to introduce a cell broadcast public warning system. The consultation round closes on 14 July 2026.

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.

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. 

15.6.2026 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a project to prepare amendments to the Act on Emergency Warnings to introduce a cell broadcast public warning system in Finland.

27.3.2025 | The European Commission published the Preparedness Union Strategy on Wednesday 26 March, outlining actions to strengthen the security of the European Union over the next five years. The strategy aims to build a more resilient and secure Europe where citizens are protected. We must be able to prepare for all kinds emerging threats, ranging from extreme weather events to hybrid threats. We cannot ignore the most serious scenarios either, and Europe must also prepare for the possibility of war.

9.12.2025 | The Ministry of the Interior has procured 50,000 litres of foam suitable for extinguishing different types of fires for use by Ukraine’s rescue services. The foam purchase is part of an emergency assistance package coordinated by the Ministry through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The package consists of donations from various sectors of society and targeted procurements.

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.

2.10.2025 | The tense security situation underscores the importance of preparedness, both in the Baltic Sea region and in the Euro-Arctic area. Meeting new threats requires joint exercises and well-functioning processes, as underlined at the Rescue Borealis 2025 international field exercise held in Oulu.

11.9.2025 | Finland will host Rescue Borealis 2025, an international exercise bringing together hundreds of experts from Finland and abroad. The exercise strengthens cooperation between authorities in Euro-Arctic and cross-border emergencies. Rescue Borealis 2025 includes a field training exercise that will take place in the Oulu area between 29 September and 3 October 2025.

18.8.2025 | By decision of the Ministry of the Interior, Finland has sent a module for ground forest firefighting to Spain to help manage wildfires raging across the country. The module will be deployed in Spain for about a week.

1.12.2025 | The obligation to purchase and maintain smoke alarms will be transferred from the resident to the owner of the building on 1 January 2026. Building owners, that is housing companies and rental housing companies, have made good use of the two-year transition period following the amendments to the Rescue Act and have taken the necessary measures in good time.

13.2.2026 | The Ministry of the Interior has launched a project to develop a new feature for the Emergency Response Centre Agency’s 112 Suomi app to warn of airborne threats. The project will be carried out with EU funding, and other EU Member States can also benefit from the results of Finland’s development work.

10.12.2025 | The wellbeing services county reform is progressing towards the set objectives throughout Finland, but there are still many issues left to address. This is according to a broad-based interim evaluation of the wellbeing services county reform made by an independent expert group.

27.3.2025 | The Ministry of the Interior has published a nation-wide report on how well the targets set for rescue services and their finances have been achieved in the wellbeing services counties. The report recommends that the counties focus on recruitment of rescuers and preparedness for civil defence. They should also step up their efforts on incident and accident prevention with a view to reducing the number of incidents, accidents and fires across Finland.

20.12.2023 | Civil defence shelters offer much more than strong protective structures. I don't think many people know about all the functionalities, devices and equipment that our civil defence shelters have – or should have, writes Project Manager Ira Pasi.

5.11.2025 | Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen and Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko held a videoconference on Wednesday 5 November. The topics on their agenda included cooperation between Finnish and Ukrainian security authorities and Ukraine's new support needs.

28.10.2025 | The interior ministers of Finland, Norway, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Germany, Sweden and Denmark will meet in Gdánsk, Poland, on 28 October. The ministers will discuss countering hybrid threats posed by Russia and Belarus, and evacuation practices in the countries in the Baltic Sea region. Finland will be represented at the meeting by Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen.

13.11.2025 | Nordic ministers responsible for civil preparedness or their deputies will meet in Helsinki on 13 November. This so-called Haga ministerial meeting will be chaired by Finnish Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen. The ministers will discuss topical issues related to crisis preparedness in the Nordic countries.

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.

30.7.2025 | During the summer, there have been significantly more drownings and serious near misses than usual at public swimming areas. The Ministry of the Interior, the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes), the National Police Board of Finland and the Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Federation met on 30 July to discuss safety at swimming areas.

22.12.2025 | The start of 2026 will see the entry into force of new acts and decrees. This press release provides a summary of the most important changes in the Ministry of the Interior’s government branch.

23.10.2025 | The Government asks the President of the Republic to sign the 24 October amendment of enforcement clause of the Act on Emergency Response Centre Operations into law. This amendment extends the transition period for implementing an emergency notification system that is capable of real-time text. The new system for emergency notifications must be implemented by 28 June 2027.

14.10.2025 | The EU home affairs ministers will gather in Luxembourg on 14 October. The topics on their agenda include the development of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex and the reform of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Finland will be represented at the meeting by Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen. 

10.4.2025 | In January, Moldova requested energy sector assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism after Russia had stopped gas deliveries to the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova. The situation has jeopardised the functioning and stability of the electricity sector throughout the Republic of Moldova.

24.7.2024 | Finland will participate in a rescue service deployment by sending 48 experts in international civil protection to Portugal. These experts will be tasked with helping local authorities manage wildfires. The first of two groups will leave for Portugal at the beginning of August.

23.4.2025 | Finland has sent material assistance to the regions affected by earthquake in Myanmar through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The assistance consists of storage and hall tents and water purification tablets requested by the country.

10.12.2025 | An independent group of experts has conducted a broad-based interim evaluation of the wellbeing services county reform, which was published on 10 December. Minister of Social Affairs and Health Kaisa Juuso, Minister of Local and Regional Government Anna-Kaisa Ikonen and Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen consider the findings valuable.