The authorities cooperate in the event of a radiation hazard situation

The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) receives all alarms and notification related to radiation round the clock. The action will be initiated on a sufficient scale within 15 minutes.

STUK forms a situational picture of the accident and assesses the possible radiation effects on people and the environment. STUK provides other authorities, such as the rescue department, with recommendations on the necessary protective measures. STUK also advises other authorities and operators, such as industry and trade, on reducing the harmful effects of radiation.

Communications

STUK communicates the radiation hazard situation and its significance for the safety of people and the environment. STUK supports communications between the authorities deciding on the protective measures by explaining why the protective actions are needed and how people can avoid or reduce their radiation exposure through their own actions. STUK also communicates the prevailing radiation situation and its projection through the media (press releases), for example.

Channels

• STUK’s communications are published on its website at Stuk.fi
• On Twitter @STUK_FI
• On Facebook facebook.com/sateilyturvakeskus
• On radiation safety page 867 of the YLE teletext service (in Finnish)

The Finnish Meteorological Institute is responsible for producing meteorological observations and forecasts, as well as warnings, and their distribution to all the authorities operating in the radiation situation. It also produces transport and spreading forecasts for STUK and the rescue authorities.

Communications

In a radiation situation, the Finnish Meteorological Institute communicates the weather situation and the direction of air currents to members of the public and the media. The experts of the Finnish Meteorological Institute can also provide background information on weather phenomena and their development.

Channels

• The communications of the Finnish Meteorological Institute are published on its website at ilmatieteenlaitos.fi
• On Twitter @meteorologit and @IlmaTiede

The administrative branch of the Ministry of the Interior is responsible for matters falling within the remit of the rescue services, the police and the Finnish Border Guard. Responsibility for the operational management of the radiation situation in large-scale radiation hazard situations usually lies with the regional rescue services. The officer in charge of the rescue operations is from the area of the rescue services where the accident or incident originated, unless agreed otherwise. If authorities from more than one sector are involved in the rescue operation, the officer in charge of the rescue operations shall act as the general manager. The general manager is responsible for maintaining a situational picture and coordinating operations. In situations involving criminal activity or terrorism, the responsibility for the situation’s management lies with the police.

Communications

If necessary, the Ministry of the Interior coordinates the communications of the authorities within its own sector. Principal responsibility for the communication remains with the authority in charge of the situation, such as the rescue department or the police. The ministry’s communications unit will assist in the international media communication related to radiation hazard situations when necessary.

Channels

• The Ministry of the Interior publishes its communications on its website at intermin.fi
• On Twitter @Sisaministerio
• On Facebook at facebook.com/sisaministerio.

The Emergency Response Centre Agency receives all emergency calls made to the emergency call number 112 in Finland, with the exception of the Åland Islands. The emergency response centre operator assess the assistance required in the emergency and, where appropriate, forwards the task to the authority in charge in accordance with the instructions of the authority in question.

In the event of a radiation hazard situation, the Emergency Response Centre Agency forwards the emergency warnings issued by the rescue services in Finnish and Swedish to the 112 Suomi mobile app and to Yleisradio. An emergency warning issued in the 112 Suomi mobile application can be either regional or national. On the radio, emergency warnings are broadcast regionally and, if the authority so decides, across the country, in which case they are also broadcast on television. All emergency warnings appear on page 112 of the teletxt service Teksti-TV. The content of the emergency warning is always decided by the authority issuing it. When necessary, the Emergency Response Centre Agency sounds, at the request of the rescue services, the general alarm signal announced over sirens.

Communications

In the event of a radiation hazard situation, the Emergency Response Centre Agency supports the communications of the competent authorities through its own communication channels. With its own communications, the Emergency Response Centre Agency instructs members of the public on the correct use of the emergency call number 112 and directs inquiries that should not be addressed to the emergency response centres to the right parties, so that the emergency response centre system is not unduly burdened. The Emergency Response Centre Agency also supports the official emergency warning system by publishing any emergency warnings on its own channels.

Channels

The main communication channel of the Emergency Response Centre Agency is the Agency’s website 112.fi, in addition to which information is shared on Twitter @112_Finland and on Facebook facebook.com/hatakeskuslaitos.   

An emergency response centre receives all notifications addressed to the authorities. The authorities in charge draw up guidelines for the emergency response centre, including on what resources are to be alerted and which actions are to be taken.

Responsibility for the operational management of the radiation situation in large-scale radiation hazard situations usually lies with the rescue services. The officer in charge of the rescue operations is from the area of the rescue services where the accident or incident originated, unless agreed otherwise. If authorities from more than one sector are involved in the rescue operation, the emergency services shall act as the general manager. Emergency work include, among other things, warning the members of the public, preventing an imminent accident and limiting damage. The key element of rescue operations in a radiation accident is to protect the population. The officer in charge of the rescue operations makes decisions on STUK's recommendations: sheltering indoors, access restrictions and evacuations in the entire danger area. In radiation hazard situations, sheltering indoors is the primary means of protection.

Communications

The officer in charge of the rescue operations is responsible for communicating the radiation hazard situation and the operating procedures, as well as for their coordination with STUK and the Ministry of the Interior, among others. In addition, they are responsible for communication on the accident, the rescue operations, warning members of the public and any immediate guidance and operating procedures. The Ministry of the Interior’s communications support the rescue department’s national and international media communications.

Channels

Emergency warnings provide instructions and calls for seeking shelter indoors, taking iodine tablets, and on protecting livestock and other production. Emergency warnings are published on television, radio, page 112 of the teletext service Teksti-TV, the websites of the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) and the Emergency Response Centre Agency, and on the 112 Suomi mobile and Uutisvahti applications.

In addition, a general alarm signal is sounded if necessary. When the general alarm sign sounds, you should shelter indoors.

Finland’s 22 rescue departments also provide information on their own websites and social media channels. The details concerning all of Finland’s rescue departments can be found at pelastustoimi.fi. You can search for a rescue department based on home municipality: Rescue Services - Home (pelastustoimi.fi)

The police are responsible for managing a radiation hazard situation involving criminal activity or a threat thereof.

In all radiation hazard situations, the police are responsible for, among other things, isolating the area in question, directing traffic and maintaining public order and safety. If necessary, the police can support measurement activities in cooperation with STUK and other authorities.

Communications

The head of the investigation at the police is responsible for communication related to the pre-trial investigation.

The party that has requested administrative assistance is responsible for the communications of the activities. Authorities providing administrative assistance to the police communicate technical issues and other matters related to their own sector.

Channels

The police communicate hazardous situations primarily via Twitter, with media releases and at poliisi.fi.

In the event of a radiation hazard situation, the Finnish Border Guard participates in the production of a common situational picture, the warning of members of the public in a sea area, isolation and evacuation tasks and radiation measurements.

If necessary, the Border Guard provides administrative assistance to other authorities.

Communications

The Border Guard communicates matters related to its own activities and, if necessary, distributes bulletins and communiques released by other authorities to inform the public. In the event of a radiation hazard situation at border crossing points (the eastern border, airports, ports), the Border Guard will, if necessary, distribute information to passengers arriving in Finland in cooperation with other authorities operating at the crossing points on the basis of information from the authorities in charge of the situation.

Channels

The Finnish Border Guard primarily reports incidents online at Raja.fi and on Twitter @rajavartijat.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health monitors STUK’s situational assessment and recommendations on protective action aiming to reduce the harmful effects of radiation and instructs the authorities under its supervision (Valvira, Regional State Administrative Agencies). The Ministry also directs municipalities and hospital districts through the Regional State Administrative Agencies.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its subordinate agencies Fimea (Finnish Medicines Agency) and STUK, as well as the emergency services, are the main authorities that provide guidance on the precautions and recommended intake of iodine tablets.

In the event of a radiation hazard situation, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health decides, on the basis of STUK's recommendation, to issue the recommendation for taking iodine tablets. A recommendation for taking iodine tablets is issued with an emergency warning of the emergency services, which is available on YLE television and radio channels and on the authorities' own communication channels.

Communications

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health communicates the health effects of the radiation situation in cooperation with STUK and the other operators. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is also responsible for communications related to ensuring the functioning of social welfare and health care in all circumstances.

Channels

The Ministry publishes communications on its website at stm.fi and on Twitter @STM_Uutiset.

Fimea monitors the quality, safety and availability of medicinal products on the market, such as those containing potassium iodide, as well as the operators of the legal supply channel for medicinal products. Fimea's task is to provide a situation assessment of the availability of medicines and to communicate the availability of medicines based on information provided by the pharmaceutical industry.

Communications

If necessary, Fimea communicates the situational picture of pharmaceutical services and produces information about medicinal products and their availability.

Channels

Fimea publishes communications on its website at fimea.fi and on Twitter @Fimea.

Other communication channels:

• The Sic! online magazine (in Finnish)
• On LinkedIn linkedin.com/company/fimea/.

Valvira, the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health, prepares regulations and guidelines on the safety of water intended for human consumption, indoor spaces and the living environment. For example, Valvira may order the ventilation of public buildings to be shut off so that the interiors are not contaminated. Valvira may also issue, if necessary, issue regulations limiting the use of water intended for human consumption.

Communications

In the event of a radiation hazard situation, Valvira communicates, in terms of the guidelines and regulations it has issued, why they have been issued, to which area, what they contain and to whom they apply. Valvira also supports the communications of STUK and other authorities through its own communication channels.

Channels

• Valvira publishes its communications on its website at valvira.fi
• On Twitter @ValviraViestii
• On LinkedIn National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health Valvira

The Prime Minister’s Office is responsible for the overall coordination of incident management in the Government.

Communications

The Prime Minister’s Office is responsible for communications between the Government and the Prime Minister and for coordinating communications at the Government level. If the incident affects more than one administrative sector or requires the Government to take action, the Prime Minister’s Office can coordinate communication for the incident.

Channels

• The Finnish Government’s website valtioneuvosto.fi
• The website of the Prime Minister’s Office vnk.fi
• On Twitter @valtioneuvosto

The Government Situation Centre (VNTIKE) serves as a contact point for the standby services of ministries and central agencies. VNTIKE receives security information from several authorities and passes it on to the state administration, the deputy duty officers of ministries and other competent authorities. It informs the administrative sectors of observed security events on a round-the-clock basis and, if necessary, convenes cooperation bodies from different administrative sectors to ensure up-to-date information.

VNTIKE alerts central government operators to convene in accordance with the state’s incident management model (meeting of the heads of preparedness, meeting of the permanent secretaries, government negotiation, the plenary session of the Government, meetings of the ministerial committees). If necessary, VNTIKE coordinates the preparation of a situational picture with the support of the authorities and other operators involved in the incident management.

The Finnish Food Authority issues guidelines on food, animals and products of animal origin other than food and feed, as well as regulations concerning feed and slaughterhouses. The Food Authority decides on the protection of feed and issues guidelines for the protection of foodstuffs, primary production and its water supply.

The Food Authority decides on the protection of livestock and other primary production as well as other measures related to primary production, food and feed and agrees on their implementation with the necessary authorities.

The Food Authority cooperates with STUK in the risk assessment of foodborne exposure. The Food Authority issues guidelines and regulations on the importation of food and feed and on their placement on the market and use, as well as recommendations for the consumption and use of food and feed.

Communications

The Finnish Food Authority provides information on recommendations for the consumption of food, restrictions on the use of and sales bans concerning food and feed, as well as on calls for the protection of animals and the safety of products derived from them.

Channels

• Finnish Food Authority publishes its communications on its website Ruokavirasto.fi,
• On Twitter @Ruokavirasto

In the event of a radiation hazard situation, municipalities prepare for a short-term evacuation of members of the public from the immediate vicinity of the accident site. Municipalities must perform their statutory duties in a manner as incident-free as possible, also in the event of a radiation hazard situation. Municipalities, in cooperation with other experts, organise psychosocial support and services for those who have been involved in the radiation situation.

Municipalities’ supervisory authorities (environmental health, rural authorities) guide food and feed sector operators and primary producers and ensure the implementation of the regulations and sufficient information according to the guidelines of the Finnish Food Authority.

Communications

Municipalities publish communications about their basic services and on how they are organised and secured.