The Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division’s preparedness for incidents and emergencies

Nainen kävelee hiekkatiellä kaupungissa.

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The goal of the assessment

The assessment’s main question was whether the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division had prepared appropriately for incidents and emergencies. This was examined by assessing whether the readiness and preparedness plans of Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services are appropriately designed, whether the logistical processes for materials management, power supply and water supply are properly organised for crisis and emergency situations, and whether the City of Helsinki’s civil defence is properly organised.

Conclusions

The preparedness of Social Services and Health Care and Rescue Services for incidents and emergencies is mainly appropriate, but based on the findings, there is still plenty of development work to be done in the future. For the most part, Social Services and Health Care and Rescue Services are appropriately prepared for incidents and emergencies, but based on the findings, there is still plenty of development work to be done in the future. After the reform of social, health, and rescue services, the goal was to create a single shared preparedness plan for the division, but this goal has since been abandoned. In all likelihood, the division’s future continuity plan will consist of a single, shared, and public version available to all staff and confidential sections for both entities.

The Audit Committee concludes that

the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division should 

  • ensure that the division has the necessary human resources for preparedness and continuity management tasks. 
  • ensure that Rescue Services regularly evaluates its activities using the model from the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities and the National Emergency Supply Agency of Finland. 
  • ensure that the plans for vacating civil defence shelters are up-to-date so that the implementation deadline required by the Rescue Act can be met. 

the City Executive Office and the Urban Environment Division should 

  • ensure that the shared bedrock shelter in the Kauppakartanonkatu area is built according to plans.

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