Pelastustoimiin

Pelastustoimiin is a Finnish term referring to the coordinated actions and measures used to prevent, mitigate, respond to and recover from emergencies and disasters. It encompasses prevention and safety planning, preparedness activities, actual incident response, and post-incident recovery and learning. The overarching objective is to protect people, property and the environment, reduce harm, and maintain essential societal functions.

In Finland, pelastustoimiin is primarily organized at the municipal level through pelastuslaitokset, regional rescue departments that oversee fire and rescue services and related operations. They operate under national legislation and guidelines and work in cooperation with other authorities such as health care, police, and social services, especially in major emergencies. Planning, training, and equipment standards support pelastustoimiin, and mutual aid arrangements enable coordination across regions and international borders when needed.

Core activities include fire suppression, rescue operations at road traffic and industrial accidents, water and ice rescues, rescue from collapsed or hazardous environments, and management of hazardous materials incidents. The scope also covers search and rescue, casualty care, and post-incident recovery tasks such as crisis support, restoration of essential services, and evaluation of response performance for continuous improvement.

The concept is embedded in broader public safety and disaster management frameworks, emphasizing risk assessment, public information, and community preparedness as ongoing components of pelastustoimiin.