Pelastuslaitokset

Pelastuslaitokset are the Finnish municipal or regional fire and rescue services responsible for fire protection, rescue operations, and related safety tasks. They operate primarily as municipal authorities or joint municipal authorities (kuntayhtymät) and are governed by the Rescue Act and related regulations. The main tasks include fire suppression, technical rescues (such as vehicle extrication, water and rope rescues, building collapses), and responses to hazardous materials incidents, and disaster preparedness. In addition, pelastuslaitokset carry out prevention and safety work: fire prevention inspections of premises, building code compliance checks, risk assessments, safety counseling, and public information campaigns.

They coordinate with other authorities, such as the police and health care/emergency medical services, and participate in national and regional emergency planning and training. The organizational structure varies by municipality, but most pelastuslaitokset employ professional firefighters and rescue personnel, and many also operate volunteer fire brigades in rural areas. Funding comes largely from municipal budgets or joint authorities, supplemented by national funding for certain projects.

Legally, pelastuslaitokset derive their mandate from the Rescue Act and related legislation, and they are part of Finland’s wider public safety system alongside the emergency response center (112) and other authorities. The term pelastuslaitokset emphasizes the plural, referring to the network of local and regional units that cooperate to safeguard people, property, and the environment.