Finland’s Ministry of the Interior has launched an inquiry into whether the snowy weather has had a negative effect on the service level of Southern Finland rescue departments. According to the Rescue Act, the owner and the holder of a property must ensure that emergency access roads are kept clear and in working order. The ministry points out that this regulation applies despite the recent snowfalls and that rescue departments should educate property owners accordingly.
There is currently 56 centimetres of snow at the Kaisaniemi observation station in Helsinki. According to an MTV3 news story (in Finnish), the snow situation has increased the response times of the Helsinki City Rescue Department by one minute. In the MTV3 interview today, Rescue Commander Kari Lehtokangas notes that one minute is a long time in a medical emergency, “as anyone who has tried holding their breath for that long can imagine”.
Have you been affected by the snow? Please post your comments!
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