Civil protection cooperation
Finland takes part in fostering cooperation within the EU civil protection mechanism and other international cooperation in the field of civil protection. In addition to the EU, Finland cooperates with the neighbouring regions and the UN and its suborganisations, and is involved in NATO's Partnership for Peace programme. Finland also participates in civilian crisis management operations led by the EU and other international organisations, for example by appointing civil protection experts to work for these organisations. Finland may, at the request of another State or an international organisation and by the Ministry of the Interior's decision, send rescue and other assistance units and civil protection experts abroad in the event of disasters. Such disasters include natural disasters, environmental emergencies, politico-military conflicts or terrorist damage. The process of providing rescue assistance abroad is launched by a request to this end by a disaster-stricken country. The request is usually sent by the EU Civil Protection Mechanism's Monitoring and Information Centre (MIC) coordinating EU civil protection assistance interventions, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) or NATO's Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC). The Emergency Response Centre of Helsinki forwards such requests to the officer on duty at the Ministry of the Interior's Department for Rescue Services, who initiates the necessary measures and is responsible for the necessary contacts and the provision of information to public authorities, international organisations and the media. Finland may also assist a foreign State by sending there a single expert, such as a member of the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team, or Finland's international rescue force FinnRescueForce (FRF) which comprises specially trained personnel from the largest fire departments of the country, a rescue group, or material or other assistance.  Back  Print page |