Finland’s government is preparing a national safety guide for households after a recent drone scare exposed gaps in the country’s emergency preparedness systems.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said on Tuesday that officials had started work on a booklet that would give residents practical instructions on how to respond during drone-related security incidents and other emergencies.
The announcement followed an emergency government meeting focused on drone threats and public warning systems.
The discussions came after authorities issued an unusual public alert on 15 May urging residents in the Uusimaa region to remain indoors because of a suspected dangerous drone.
The incident triggered debate in Finland over emergency communication, workplace rules and public preparedness during security threats.
Orpo told reporters at parliament that ministries, municipalities and regional authorities had already begun reviewing their response procedures.
“Every person in every home must know how to act if a situation like this happens again,” Orpo said after the meeting.
He said the proposed booklet would contain practical guidance for households and workplaces. Security officials are now assessing what types of threats should be covered in the publication.
According to Finnish broadcaster MTV, the guide would not focus only on drones. Authorities are also examining whether instructions linked to wider security risks and national emergencies should be included.
The Interior Ministry and rescue authorities are leading the assessment with support from other ministries.
Finland’s government is also accelerating work on a mobile warning system based on cell broadcast technology. The system would allow emergency alerts to be sent directly to mobile phones during security incidents.
Orpo said the government wanted to speed up procurement under national security procedures to avoid long public tender processes.
“So quickly as possible,” Orpo said when asked about the timeline for the system.
He added that the Interior Ministry was working intensively on the project and that a more precise timetable should become clear within a week.
The government is also preparing a graded warning system that would allow authorities to issue different levels of public alerts depending on the seriousness of the threat.
Questions linked to pay and work obligations have also emerged after the Uusimaa alert. Employers and labour unions disagree on whether workers who stay home because of a security threat should continue receiving pay if they cannot travel to work safely.
Labour Minister Matias Marttinen held talks with labour market organisations on Tuesday to seek a solution.
Orpo said workplaces must have clear procedures to identify which employees need to report to work during emergencies and which operations are considered critical for society.
“At workplaces there must be clarity about who needs to go to work and which critical functions must continue running,” Orpo said.
The government also announced plans to establish a new ministerial committee focused on preparedness and national security coordination. According to a government statement, the body will strengthen political oversight of emergency planning and crisis management across ministries.
Finland already published online guidance for reporting drone sightings earlier this year. The Interior Ministry released the instructions at the end of March.
HT