CIVIL DEFENCE

All for civil defence shelters! Contact us and request an offer vss@karanttia.com

Karanttia® civil defence shelter solutions cover everything needed for the construction and repair of shelters. Our services and products are:

Karanttia® civil defence shelter solutions cover everything needed for the construction and repair of shelters. Our services and products are:

  • Planning and consulting
  • Civil defence shelter solutions for construction and repair
  • Shelter surveys
  • Shelter condition checks
  • Drawings and deployment plans
  • Repairs and maintenance work
  • Tightness test
  • Budgeting of corrective measures
  • Maintenance service
  • Construction plans of the shelter for building control
  • Placement drawing of the shelter
  • Shelter doors, hatches, HVAC penetrations
  • Crisis-time ventilation equipment, ducts, air intake tubes
  • Crisis time equipment
  • Tightness test for civil protection inspector

All of the Karanttia® products and solutions delivered comply with official requirements at the national and local level.

Equipment and accessories included in the complete delivery:

  • Ventilation equipment IVL-1
  • Airlock tent ST-1
  • Reserve water tank VS-3
  • Dry toilet cubicle KH-3
  • Dry toilet furniture KK-3
  • Waste bins JS-3
  • Protection materials

Read more about equipment and accessories >

CIVIL DEFENCE AUDITS AND REPAIREMENT

Through Karanttia, both auditing and repairements of shelters are available. During the auditing of the civil defence shelter, the equipment in the shelter is inventoried, and the condition of the equipment is checked as required by their manufacturers. The survey includes a written report on the condition of the shelter. An action plan, a price estimate and an offer for equipment updates of shelters are given for repair needs.

Contact us and request an offer: vss@karanttia.com

INFORMATION ON CIVIL DEFENCE

A civil defence shelter is a separate room or separate structure provided inside or in connection with a building. Its task is to protect the people at locations where they normally move, work, and live. The purpose of the defence shelter is to protect people against toxic spills, radioactive fallout, or a military attack, for example. In Finland, civil defence shelters are mainly intended for protection during armed conflicts.

The purpose of civil defence is to protect the civilian population and non-military persons during wars, armed conflicts and battles. The construction of civil defence shelters is included under civil defence. The Ministry of the Interior manages and co-ordinates national arrangements of civil defence. The construction and upkeep of civil defence shelters is regulated by the Rescue Act.

Karanttia has over 37 years of experience in the construction of prefabricated civil defence shelters complying with official regulations. Our unique expertise ensures the most comprehensive and reliable information for architects and other construction professionals. Our experts are at your service in all matters related to civil defence shelter design and construction.

Civil defence is related to exceptional situations in which people and property are protected and emergency measures are prepared for. Civil defence is also an important part of rescue operations, which involve minimisation of damages and injuries from accidents and first aid. In Finland, rescue operations are managed by the Ministry of the Interior, which supervises the Rescue Services and is liable for their service capacity.

More information and links on civil defence and rescue operations:

Ministry of the Interior

Finnish Rescue Services

The Finnish National Rescue Association

Bulletin by the Pirkanmaa Rescue Department (PDF, in Finnish)

Would you cope on your own for 72 hours?

CIVIL DEFENCE SHELTERS BY CITY

Väestönsuoja Skyddsrum
Image: International symbol for civil defence shelter

CIVIL DEFENCE REGULATIONS

According to Section 1 of the Civil Defence Act, the purpose of civil defence is to protect the population and property against damage resulting from war and other comparable circumstances, as well as to limit the damage caused by them and mitigate their consequences.

More information about the Civil Defence Act:

Finlex: Rescue Act

Finlex: Government Decree on Civil Defence Shelters

In Finland, rescue operations are managed by the Ministry of the Interior, which supervises the Rescue Services and is liable for their service capacity. Instructions for citizens on practical measures related to civil defence are always accompanied with guidelines from the Ministry of the Interior, the Rescue Services, and municipal authorities.

SIGNIFICANCE AND HISTORY
OF CIVIL DEFENCE

Image: A fragment shelter was built at the Diana Park, Erottaja square in Helsinki in October 1939. The Diana Park rock shelter was built in 1972 based on designs by the Engineering Office Parkatti & Salonen.

Based on the Finnish value system, for more than five decades, we have sought to equally protect all citizens instead of just soldiers and leaders by building civil defence shelters throughout the country. The Finnish civil defence shelter construction system has been an ingenious solution, as the shelters have been built in connection with other construction. The costs for the construction have been paid by the owner of the building, who in turn has had the possibility to decide how the shelter is to be used under normal circumstances. We, Finns, should be proud of such an achievement. Source: Pekka Rajajärvi: Väestönsuojien rakentamisen historia ja käsikirja 1927-2016 (The History and Handbook of Civil Defence Shelter Construction 1927-2016).

In Finland, modern civil defence shelters have been built since 1959. The justification has been the necessity to guarantee basic security. Building civil defence shelters in the hour of need is difficult or even impossible. Because of this, they must be designed and built under normal circumstances with a long-term outlook. By a legislative amendment in 2011, the deployment term of the civil defence shelters was extended from one day to three. This means that in normal times, more attention must be paid to the condition of civil defence shelters.

According to VSSR, a civil engineering protection association, a large majority of Finns still support construction of civil defence shelters. Eight years ago, the feeling of insecurity among Finns was more common than ever since 1990. Today, the situation is even worse.

Rescue information: “In 80 years, Finland developed into a great power of civil defence”