Instructions for preparing for incidents and crises have been compiled in the Suomi.fi online service
The new Preparing for incidents and crises guide aimed at the entire population has been published in Suomi.fi.
The Suomi.fi Preparing for incidents and crises guide deals with situations that would have a broad impact on society and communities.
Situations that require preparation include long power cuts, water outages and interruptions in telecommunications, extreme weather phenomena and major accidents, and longer-term crises, such as a pandemic or military conflict. In addition to instructions, the guide also contains information on hybrid and information influence activities and helping others.
"The guide contains information on, for example, preparing for epidemic and pandemic situations and maintaining one's own functional capacity in a crisis situation," says Research Professor Hannu Kiviranta, chief of Preparedness at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
You can only prepare in advance
Preparedness means preparing for various incidents and crises and emergency conditions in advance. As a result, the Suomi.fi preparedness guide is also intended for familiarisation in situations with no ongoing incidents in society.
If something extraordinary happens, everyone’s preparedness and actions affect how well people will be able to cope and also help others close to them. When people are able to manage independently for a few days, the authorities can focus on their task of resolving the situation and helping those in most need.
Everyone has different starting points for preparedness, which is why preparedness should be seen as a set of various means. The basis of preparedness is home emergency supplies, but it also involves knowledge and skills to act when something extraordinary happens. Everyone should be prepared in some way according to their needs, opportunities and abilities.
Compiling instructions makes the information easier to find
Preparedness is a matter that concerns society as a whole and involves the work inputs of several authorities and organisations. Compiling instructions in a single guide makes it easier for citizens to find information. When the guide is published, the content of the instructions does not change significantly.
The Finnish, Swedish and English versions of the online guide are accompanied by the signs for the main parts of Finnish and Finland-Swedish sign language. The guide is accompanied by a PDF summary compiling basic information on preparedness in 15 different languages, which users can print out for themselves, their loved ones or service points.
The guide is part of the communications package on individual emergency planning launched by the Ministry of the Interior in 2022, which strengthens the preparedness competence of the population. One of the objectives of the current government programme is to strengthen the psychological crisis resilience and competence in independent preparedness of all population groups. The Ministry of the Interior funded the implementation of the guide and was responsible for producing the content. The project involves the Digital and Population Data Services Agency, which maintains the Suomi.fi online service.
The following parties were involved in producing the guide: Digital and Population Data Services Agency, Financial Supervisory Authority, National Emergency Supply Agency, Finnish Meteorological Institute, Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom, MIELI Mental Health Finland, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Martha Association, Rescue Services, Poliisi, Ministry of Defence, Finnish Defence Forces, Financial Stability Authority, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finnish Security and Intelligence Service, Bank of Finland, Finnish National Rescue Association, Finnish Red Cross, Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Secretariat of the Security Committee, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of the Environment.
Further information
Read the Preparing for incidents and crises guide at Suomi.fi:
Suomi.fi/preparedness
Contact information
Hannu Kiviranta (from 19 Nov.)
THL
Research Professor, chief of preparedness
firstname.lastname(at)organisation.fi
tel. 029 524 6361
Ministry of the Interior
media.sm(at)gov.fi
tel. +358 50 555 5035
