Vantaa-Kerava welfare area faces €350,000 fine for emergency service deficiencies in Finland

The Southern Finland Regional Administrative Agency has ordered the Vantaa-Kerava welfare area to address significant deficiencies in its emergency services. To enforce this order, the agency has threatened a fine of €350,000. The Central Uusimaa Rescue Department, which provides emergency services in the welfare area, has been operating with a smaller response team for urgent tasks categorized as A and B, involving only four personnel instead of the legally required minimum.

According to the agency, this practice is not compliant with the law. At the end of 2023, the Regional Administrative Agency directed the welfare area to elevate the response teams to the legally mandated standard for urgent operations. This correction was to be completed by the end of March 2024.

However, the Vantaa-Kerava welfare area did not comply with the order and chose to appeal the decision in administrative court. The court rejected the request to suspend the implementation of the order, meaning it must be enforced despite the appeal process. Consequently, the welfare area is now required to rectify the deficiencies by early October 2024; failure to do so will result in the imposition of the threatened fine from the administrative agency.