Finland to mail preparedness guide to 3.5 million homes and businesses

Finland’s Ministry of the Interior will mail a printed emergency preparedness guide to households and businesses across mainland Finland in January, Yle reports.

About 3.5 million copies will explain how people should prepare for disruptions and crises, including the threat posed by drones. A paper guide could be useful if electricity or internet connections are unavailable.

“It is not enough to have guidance on preparing for disruptions and crises only on the Suomi.fi online service,” said Ira Pasi, a project manager at the ministry. The ministry has previously noted that an online guide is cheaper and easier to update. Pasi said online guidance is especially easy to access for the groups least prepared for emergencies: young adults and city residents.

The booklet will be a concise summary of guidance from various public authorities and organisations, drawing on the Suomi.fi preparedness guide, the 72 hours website and rescue services’ online instructions on drone threats. Pasi said it is intended to be short enough for people to read from cover to cover. Its advice is guidance, not a set of obligations, and readers can adapt it to their circumstances and resources.

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said in May that a guide for households was being prepared. Finland’s Parliamentary Ombudsman has also said that the current way of communicating preparedness advice is not sufficient.

Preparing and distributing the guide will cost about two million euros. It will be available in Finnish, Swedish and Sami.