Safety at home

The Emergency Response Center’s emergency number is 112. Call the emergency number if you need the fire department’s or the police’s help or there is a need for an ambulance.

Note that:

Finnish law specifies that every dwelling must be equipped with a sufficient number of smoke detectors. A smoke detector is a device that detects the outbreak of a fire at the earliest possible moment. A smoke detector can save your life. If a fire breaks out in your home, a smoke detector emits a loud alarm sound so that you can evacuate the premises in time. One smoke detector can cover up to 60 square meters. For example, if your home is 65 square meters in size, you will need two smoke detectors. If your home has more than one floor, calculate the floor area of each floor separately. There must be a sufficient number of smoke detectors on every floor. Place the smoke detector on the ceiling in the middle of the room, so that it detects the smoke from the fire as quickly as possible. As a resident of the dwelling, it is your duty to buy a smoke detector. Smoke detectors are sold in department stores, large grocery stores, and hardware shops, for example. There are different types of smoke detectors, and you can ask for more information from the shop assistant. Check monthly that the smoke detector functions properly. Replace the batteries if necessary – preferably at least once a year.
Be especially careful with candles. Do not leave them unattended in the room. Small children can, for example, accidentally knock down a candle and cause a fire.
Do not use a broken electrical device. If there is a defect in an electrical device, take it to a repairman or dispose of it in a proper way. Only repairmen are allowed to repair electrical devices.
In Finland, water circulates in the radiators that warm your dwelling (not, for example, gas).
Regularly check the water pipes in your home for leaks. Ensure also that water does not leak on the floor from the dishwasher, refrigerator, or washing machine.
Ammattilaisen pitää asentaa astianpesukone, et saa tehdä asennusta itse.
If there is a water leak in your home, try to close off the water line with the shut-off valve. If you live in a block of flats, report the leak to the housing company’s on-call number immediately.