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Introduction

The drafting, upkeep and communication of the rescue plan are based on the requirement of the Rescue Act (379/2011). In this rescue plan, there is an account:

for the conclusions of the assessment of hazards and risks;
for the safety arrangements of the building and the premises used in the operations;
regarding the instructions to be given to people for the prevention of accidents and acting in accident and danger situations;
other possible actions for independent preparation at the location. (Rescue Act 379/2011, Section 15))

The rescue plan must be kept up to date and it must be communicated in the necessary way to the persons in the relevant building or other site. (Government Decree on Rescue Action 407/2011, Section 2.)

There are also other requirements for safety in the Rescue Act; the most important of these are:
The owner and holder of the building and the operator must, for their part take care that the building, structure and its surroundings are kept in such condition that:

the risk of the starting, intentional starting and spreading of a fire is slight;
the people in the building can vacate the building in the event of fire or other sudden danger situation or they can be rescued in another way;
rescue operations are possible in the event of fire or another accident;
the safety of rescue personnel has been taken into account. (Rescue Act 379/2011, Section 9))

The following equipment and devices must be kept in working order and serviced and inspected appropriately:

extinguishing, rescue and prevention equipment;
devices that facilitate extinguishing and rescue work;
fire detection, alarm and other devices signalling the risk of an accident;
the lighting and signs of the exit routes;
the equipment and devices of the civil defence shelters (Rescue Act 379/2011, Section 12))

The owner and holder of the building and the operator must, for their part:

the starting of fires is to be prevented, as well as the arising of other hazardous situations;
the protection of persons, property and the surroundings in danger situations is to be prepared for;
the extinguishing of fires, and other such rescue measures that they are able to do independently, are to be prepared for;
start action for securing safe exit from fires and other danger situations, as well as action for making rescue operations easier. (Rescue Act 379/2011, Section 14))

Basic property information

Built 1973-1981, renovated 2005 Dwellings73 units Buildings A-U, 14 buildings

Basic information

Property name	VOAS I
Building address	Palosaarentie 62 65200 VAASA
Number of apartments	73
Building type	Terraced house
Number of floors	2
Year of construction of the property	1973
Property owner	VOAS tel. 063276511 http://www.voas.fi/?page=VOAS
Housing management office	VOAS tel. 063276511 http://www.voas.fi/?page=VOAS

Organisation

Property manager	Petra Alamäki VOAS phone 063276513 petra.alamaki@voas.fi
Property director	Teppo Rasku VOAS phone 063276512 teppo.rasku@voas.fi
Hosted by	VOAS phone 063276530 asuntotoimisto@voas.fi

Other information

The site falls within the area of the following rescue service: Ostrobothnia.

Heating type	District heating
Main water shutoff	D-house basement
Heat distribution room	D-house basement
Electricity switchboard	D-house basement
Maintenance	Luotsi Kiinteistöpalvelut Oy phone 063165200 service 0503891839
Insurance company	If tel. 010191919 http://www.if.fi
Gathering area	Parking
Back-up gathering area	Neighbouring properties

Party	Responsibility
Management	Responsible for the management of the entire property, managing maintenance contracts and similar issues, addressing reported safety or other deficiencies or delegating responsibility to another party. Acting as a contact person for regulatory control and other similar matters, including participation in fire inspection rounds.
Property maintenance	Technical systems and security equipment, maintenance of the yard, snow removal, etc. The caretaker notices any deficiencies when visiting the site and remedies them on his/her own initiative or reports them to the management.
Resident	The tenant is responsible for his/her own living quarters and storage cupboard, as well as for his/her personal belongings and activities in the association. Any systems or fixed structures on the premises of the tenant are the responsibility of the maintenance company.
Thenormal flow of information on deficiencies: resident--- maintenance company --- management

Residents can report safety concerns or other deficiencies to the maintenance or management by phone or email, the necessary contact details can be found for example in the "Organisation" chapter of this plan.

Important phone numbers

Important numbers of the property

Task	Name	Telephone number	Service phone number
Maintenance company	Luotsi Kiinteistöpalvelut Oy	063165200	0503891839

Other important numbers

Operator	Telephone number	Duty hours
Public emergency numbers	112	24 h
Poison information centre	0800 147 111	24 h

Hazards and their effects

Hazard refers to a factor or circumstance that may cause harm or bring about an adverse event. Risk is the combined effect of the probability and severity of harm associated with a threat.

Risk and probability	Reasons for the risk to materialise	Consequence
Fire (possible)	Open flames (candles), smoking, electrical appliances, electrical switchboards and installations, vehicles, fire work, cooking	Personal injury and property damage
Arson (unlikely)	Waste point, vehicles, goods on the wall of a building	Property damage, risk of personal injury
Accidents, vandalism (unlikely)	Inadequate lighting, open front door	Property damage
Theft (unlikely)	Exterior door or door to public areas left open, door opened to unknown person	Property damage. Risk of personal injury.
Accident (possible)	Slippage in winter, snow or ice falling from roof, falling in yard/own dwelling	Personal injury
Power failure (possible)	Lightning, storm, equipment failure	Equipment failure
Water damage (possible)	Lack of maintenance/control, freezing, blockages, equipment failure, storm	Property damage
Gas hazard (unlikely)	Transport of dangerous goods, fire in the vicinity	Protection inside
Traffic accident (possible)	Traffic in the vicinity, traffic in the yard	Personal injury
Radiation hazard (unlikely)	Radiation accident	Shelter indoors

Safety procedures

Fire safety

Hot work

Hot work is defined as work in which sparks arise or in which naked flames or other heat sources are used and may cause a fire hazard. Such work includes e.g. oxyacetylene and arc welding, flame and arc cutting, disc cutting and metal grinding, which create sparks, as well as work involving the use of gas burners, other open fire or combustion air blowers.

Performing hot work at a temporary hot work site always requires a permission granted by a person responsible for the hot work. The hot work permission ensures the actions of the different parties regarding safety and fire protection. The person conducting the hot work must have a hot work licence.

The property manager office grants the hot work permissions.

Action guidelines

The following pages contain a guide on accident prevention and on how to act in accident and danger situations. Read the action guide carefully!

The correct actions, solutions, and choices prevent and limit accidents. This way accidents can be minimised or they can be prevented altogether.

Safety and security are our shared concern!

Alerting help

In all urgent emergency situations, whether it be a police, fire department, paramedic, or a social worker case involving an urgent need for help CALL THE EMERGENCY NUMBER: 112

Call the emergency number yourself if you can: It is important to make the emergency call yourself, if the matter concerns you. The victim has more knowledge on the situation, based on which the dispatcher can send help accordingly. Using middle-men to make the call can delay getting the right kind of help on site.
Tell what happened: The emergency centre dispatcher will ask the caller about what happened so that they can send the appropriate assistance.
Give the exact address and municipality: The emergency centre might have several same addresses in different municipalities/cities in its service area. Therefore it is also important to know the name of the town/city/municipality where the accident has taken place.
Answer the questions that are asked of you: The questions asked by the dispatcher are important. They do not delay alarming for help. In urgent cases the dispatcher already alerts the authorities and other partners during the call, and gives them more information on what has happened.
Act according to the information given to you: The dispatcher is trained to give instructions in various types of situations. It is important to follow the given instructions. Correct initial actions often play an important role in the end result.
End the call only after you're given permission to do so.: Ending the call too soon may delay the help from arriving. After you are given the permission to end the call, end it. Keep the phone line open. The dispatcher or the help on its way may need additional information on what has happened.

Sudden illness or accident

Find out what happened

Has the person fallen or fainted?
Are there possibly eye witnesses, that can tell you better about what has happened?

Check the person's condition

Can you wake the person up by talking or shaking?

Check breathing

If the person doesn't wake up, check breathing: place the back of your hand in front of the patient's mouth and feel if there is air flow.

Make an emergency call.

Call the number 112.
Tell where you are calling from.
Tell what happened
Act according to directions.

Give first aid if needed.

If the person is not breathing, start with first aid.

Turn an unconscious but breathing patient into the recovery position on their side.

Observe the patient.

If there are changes in the patient's condition before the rescue department arrives, notify them by calling the emergency number 112, so that the emergency centre can re-evaluate your situation.

Guide the professional help quickly to the patient

Tell the professional help what has happened and what has been done.

Fire

Save

Make an assessment of the situation. Rescue those in immediate danger.
Be careful not to breathe smoke! Smoke is highly toxic and you can lose consciousness quickly if you breathe it.

Warn

Warn others in the building about the fire and the threatening danger.
Direct people to the gathering area.

Alert

Call the emergency number 112 from a safe location.
Tell who you are, where the fire is (address and floor), what is on fire, and if there are people in danger.
Do not hang up the phone until you are given permission to do so.

Extinguish

Perform initial extinguishing measures, where possible.
A grease fire is extinguished by suffocating it with a fire blanket.
When an electrical appliance is on fire, disconnect power and begin extinguishing the fire.

Limit

Remove fire sensitive items and flammable liquids.
Contain the spread of fire and smoke by closing windows and the door as you exit.

Guide

Direct the rescue personnel to the location or arrange guidance. For example: one person stays to guide on the side of the parking lot and another next to the building.

In evacuation situations the gathering area is: Parking

Back-up gathering area: Neighbouring properties

Action in the gathering area

Gathering area: Parking

When people have left the building and proceeded to the gathering area, one person must be appointed to take responsibility for the activities at the gathering area. Based on the situation at hand, it is necessary to consider whether it is safe to remain in the designated gathering area or if people should be directed elsewhere, for example into a pre-arranged interior area or to a property in the vicinity (the back-up gathering area).

Do not leave the gathering area without the permission of the rescue authorities.

Factors to bear in mind in the gathering area:

taking care of any possible injured parties
looking after people with reduced mobility or otherwise poor physical condition
if one is aware of someone having remained inside, this is to be reported

Back-up gathering area

Back-up gathering area: Neighbouring properties

In severe winter conditions or other situations, an additional gathering area may be needed. Authorities will also provide instructions about shelter locations for long-term shelter.

Assisting people with reduced mobility in emergency situations

In an emergency situation, the movement of people with reduced mobility out of the building may be difficult and slow. If you know there is a neighbour with reduced mobility, for example handicapped, blind, or elderly, try to secure their safe exit in emergency situations. If you know your neighbour is at home, but you are not able to assist in moving them out, notify the rescue authorities about the situation as fast as possible.

Work in cooperation with the other residents.

Things to consider when helping people with reduced mobility

Help a person with reduced mobility to exit, within the limits of your own capabilities.
Listen to the person you're helping.
Take care of the person you helped also after getting out.

Water damage

Action guide

Disconnect power from where the leak is and from its proximity.
Stop the water from flowing, from i.e. the water mains, if possible.
Notify of the situation immediately:
- to the maintenance personnel: Luotsi Kiinteistöpalvelut Oy, phone 063165200, service 0503891839
- to the housing manager: VOAS, tel. 063276530
Contact the emergency number if needed 112.
Main water shutoff: D-house basement
Heat distribution room: D-house basement
Electricity switchboard: D-house basement

Should there be threat of water outside the building

Find out what is causing the water threat.
If there is a leak, try to block it.
Try to prevent the water from getting into the building.
- by baggings
- by using plastic covers
- by directing the water away from the building
Call for additional help if needed.

Public warning signal

The public warning signal is a one-minute-long ascending and descending tone or a warning announcement by the authorities. The length of the ascending tone is 7 seconds.

The public warning signal means an immediate danger threatening the public. The warning is given in population centres with an outdoor alarm system and with an alarm attached to a vehicle in rural areas.

The All Clear signal is a one-minute-long monotonous signal. It is an announcement of the threat or danger having passed.

Act in the following way after you've heard the public warning signal

Proceed indoors.
Stay indoors.
Close doors, windows, ventilation holes, and air conditioning devices.
Turn on the radio and wait for instructions.
Avoid using the phone to prevent telephone lines from getting jammed.
Do not leave the areas unless urged to do so by the authorities, so as not to endanger yourself on the way.

Gas hazard

Public warning signal in danger situations concerning gas

Additional information on the type of danger can be got from radio and television. The following are usually connected with a gas hazard.

If you are indoors and can smell gas:
- stay indoors
- the top floors make the best shelter
- place a wet cloth over your mouth and breathe through it
- stay on the upper floors until the danger is over.
If you are outside when you smell gas but are not able to get indoors:
- hurry into side wind from underneath the gas cloud
- try to get as high as possible, for example to the top of a hill
- press a wet cloth, tuft of grass, turf, or moss in front of your mouth and breathe through it.

Additional information on taking cover from gas

Switch off air conditioning devices and close doors and windows tightly. The more airtight you can make the building, the slower the gas can get inside.
You can also close or tape inside doors and stay in upwind areas. If you smell gas you can breathe through a moist and spongy cloth.
The authorities will announce on radio or with vehicles with loudspeakers when the gas cloud has dispersed. Ventilate indoors well after the event.

Radiation hazard

The radiation situation is constantly monitored throughout the country by means of gauges. Even small changes are detected immediately and reported without delay. A general danger signal is issued for any radiation hazard. Go inside Sheltering inside is the first line of defence in the event of a radiation hazard. Close doors, windows, vents and ventilation tightly to prevent radioactive substances from entering. The central parts of the house offer the best protection. Iodine tablets Taking iodine tablets is a secondary measure recommended for people up to 40 years of age and pregnant women. Take iodine tablets only on the advice of the authorities, which you will hear on the radio or television. Iodine tablets prevent the accumulation of radioactive iodine in the thyroid gland, but do not provide any other protection. In the event of an emergency, do not leave the building to retrieve the tablets. Iodine tablets can be obtained in advance from a pharmacy. There should be 2 iodine tablets per person. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health recommends taking iodine tablets in the event of a radiation hazard due to a nuclear accident for people up to 40 years of age and pregnant women. Protect your food and drinking water Put exposed food in plastic bags or leak-proof containers. Refrigerators, freezers and leak-proof containers protect against radioactive dust. Walking outdoors If you have to go outside, wear tight-fitting, skin-covering clothing, such as rainwear. Take off your clothes when you enter the hallway and wash carefully. Use a respirator, towel or paper towels to prevent radioactive particles from entering your lungs. Additional advice For further advice, contact your local emergency services, the media and Yle Text-TV on page 867. You can also find information on the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority's website www.stuk.fi and the Rescue Service's website www.pelastustoimi.fi.

Blackouts

How to act during a power cut:

First check the fuses. If they are intact, find out whether the electricity of your neighbour or neighbouring houses is working.
If the electricity is out from a larger area, the problem is already known and actions to fix it have started. Most electricity suppliers have a taped recording of the malfunction on its fault service number, which will give information on the blackout situation in your area.
When the electricity comes back but acts unusually, for example the lights burn brighter or dimmer than usual, the reason might a break in the electricity network's neutral wire. This can result in equipment damage, fire and, in the worst case, the risk of electric shock. In such situations, switch off the electricity from the main switch and call your electricity supplier's fault emergency number.
When a power cut lasts longer, prepare yourself with warm clothes, especially in the winter, and home storage supplies. Instructions regarding home storage supplies can be found in the appendices.

Good to know during a power cut - electrical appliances that have been switched on (e.g. cooker or ovens) should be switched off so that they do not pose a fire risk when the power comes back on - the fridge and freezer will shut down and you should avoid opening them to prevent food from spoiling - the water supply may be interrupted during a power cut, as the water supply pumps are powered by electricity. It is not always possible to provide information in advance. You can find out about anticipated power cuts by following the information provided by the authorities, for example via YLE.

Civil defence

This property does not have its own civil defence shelter. The property is part of the general civil defence district. Rescue operations are dependent on regional population protection. Rescue operations are also prepared to operate in exceptional conditions. The core tasks are detecting threats and warning about them, maintaining ability to protect the population and taking care of rescue operations and the required additional resources. The objective is the most efficient operation possible in accident situations under exceptional circumstances.

The area rescue authorities work together with the municipalities in the area on civil defence and protection matters. The rescue authorities also ensure their own organisation's preparedness for civil defence in exceptional situations. In civil defence, the necessary rescue, first aid, ambulance, and maintenance set-ups are created only in exceptional circumstances. In these tasks, there are approximately 85,000 people nationwide.

There are 110,000 spaces altogether in the civil defence shelters of Finland. The authorities will give directions via radio if you are supposed to move to a civil defence shelter, along with the information to which shelters people are supposed to go. Moving into the civil defence shelters therefore always happens as a result of direction by the authorities. Accidents occurring in normal times do not generally ever require taking cover in civil defence shelters, with taking cover indoors being sufficient.

Safeguard evasion

Safeguard evasion means controlled relocations of members of the population from a danger zone in a situation where this is considered less risky than taking cover indoors. Such situations are for example fast-developing dangerous substance accidents, extensive harm caused by exhaust fumes, danger of explosion, and radiation situations.

Safeguard evasion is always done on a special order from the authorities. The authorities have planned in advance to perform a safeguard evasion from the area and reserved the necessary transportation equipment for it.

Attachments

This rescue plan has the following attachments:

How to use a small fire extinguisher
Home assets

How to use a small fire extinguisher

The resident is responsible for acquiring extinguishing equipment for the apartment.

Extinguishers

Turn the extinguisher upside down and shake the extinguisher to ensure the powder's running.
Remove the safety pin.
Approach the fire from the direction of the wind.
If you are indoors, approach low on the floor, as this will improve the visibility.
Take a hold of the extinguisher's hose from the end and direct the extinguishing substance at the base of the flames, don't cut through them.
Start extinguishing from the front and continue towards the back, or from bottom to top.
Extinguishing can be improved with a back and forth motion.
The whole area that is burning must be covered in the extinguisher cloud.
After the flames are extinguished the extinguishing can be stopped.
Observer the burnt object and make sure that the fire is out.
If the target catches fire again, repeat the extinguishing.

Extinguishing blankets

Take a hold of the corners of the blanket and protect your hands by placing them inside the blanket.
Step on the blanket with your foot; this will prevent the flames from getting to your face.
If you are outside, approach the fire from the direction of the wind.
Extend your arms straight.
Spread the blanket over the fire.
Hold the blanket tightly over the fire and make sure that the fire is extinguished.
Protect yourself while lifting the blanket as the fire can re-ignite.
Make sure once more that the fire is extinguished.

Home assets

Home contents are part of the residents' self preparedness. When you have a home emergency kit, you can cope with unexpected situations with fewer problems. A home reserve means buying a little extra food and other things you may need on a daily basis. A home reserve should last for three days (72 hours). A home reserve is food and goods in normal circulation, replenished as they are used. This keeps the food fresh and the goods usable. There are many reasons why you may not be able to go to the shops: - A single parent may fall ill and be unable to go shopping - Society may be vulnerable; there may be a strike, transport disruption or a major power cut that disrupts everyday life. - A situation where shops have to be closed or you can't go out. The contents of household goods can vary according to the household's eating habits, including bottled water, containers for storing water, medicines, iodine tablets and household essentials. These include personal medicines, toiletries, nappies, battery-powered radio, torch and batteries.

Thank you for reading the document.

VOAS I

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