Author of Be Ready for Anything and Bloom Where You’re Planted online course
During World War II, the city of Helsinki Finland was bombed relentlessly, leaving the tiny country with a death toll of more than 90,000 people. It is due to these devastating losses that the Nordic nation has one of the most comprehensive preparedness cultures on the planet. Although it’s ranked as the 14th safest country in the world, Finland prepares its people for everything from natural disasters to terror attacks to war.
For example, every building with a floor area of more than 12,916 square feet is required to house a shelter to protect citizens in the event of a crisis. I think it’s always interesting to see how other countries prepare for disaster.
This fascinating video offers a glimpse inside Finland’s civil defense plans.
Not only are first responders ready for a variety of disasters. Even local business owners are trained so they know what to do should a disaster occur. Imagine the difference it could make if more of our workplaces were thoroughly trained to be prepared for a wide variety of disasters.
Finland also encourages individual preparedness
But it isn’t just emergency responders that the Finnish government prepares. They also recommend individual measures. The Department of the Interior website says:
Emergency planning by individuals forms part of society’s resilience
Every person should be prepared for all types of emergencies, such as disruptions to the electricity supply or telecommunications connections. Emergency planning by individuals assists the authorities in times of crisis, since resources do not suffice to help all of those who need help, and must be allocated to the most urgent cases. (source)
Finland isn’t the only country in Europe to urge citizens to prepare.
Finland isn’t alone in urging citizens to prepare or to make preparations on a large scale. Last year, Swedes were warned to be prepared to live without the system and get ready for war. In 2017, South Koreans were urged to make preparations due to rising tensions with North Korea.
The CDC has warned Americans to get prepared for the potential of nuclear war and in fact, 8 places around the world are actively prepping for the possibility of a nuke.
There are worries about incursions into our power grid that could leave Americans in the dark (at the same time as the US is allegedly fooling around in Russia’s grid.) And now as the threat level rises with a Russian warship as close as Cuba and the escalating conflict with Iran, we’d be foolish to ignore the possibility that we might need some preps. (This book has advice about preparing for a nuclear strike and this book has advice on building your stockpile on a budget.)
What do you think?
Do you think Finland takes preparedness more seriously than our own country? What changes would you like to see occur within American Civil Defense?
About Daisy
Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging, gun-toting blogger who writes about current events, preparedness, frugality, voluntaryism, and the pursuit of liberty on her website, The Organic Prepper. She is widely republished across alternative media and she curates all the most important news links on her aggregate site, PreppersDailyNews.com. Daisy is the best-selling author of 4 books and runs a small digital publishing company. She lives in the mountains of Virginia with her family. You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
I haven’t seen anyone in “civil defense” in a long time like since the early 90s. The screening process might need to be tightened as the last one I had contact with had some serious mental issues. We ending up arresting him because he had yellow lights on his car and started initiating traffic stops. When he got mad at us he would tell us how sorry we were going to be because when civil defense took over we were going to have to listen to him while he was in charge. Yeah bout that skippy……
I’d like to see fallout shelters again that are stocked either like they used to be or better but I doubt that will ever happen.
Does Finland take it more seriously? Maybe I’ve not been there so I don’t know. We don’t take anything seriously though. Information is constantly put out by DHS, CDC, FEMA, States and we even have a preparedness month but folks are comfortable therefore disinterested. You see lots of people in my area get ready for tornados every year because we aren’t comfortable and realistic fear drives it.
Whenever they nasally whine “You don’t NEED a “Weapon of WAR”” read this to them:
WE pay for THEIR prepping….. as they attack Our RIGHT to keep a semi-automatic rifle
I’d like to point out …. In order to “feel safe” the politicians “need” 7,000+ nuclear warheads ,,, at least 11 aircraft carrier battle groups and hundreds more ships , how many multiBillion$ F35s, how many Troops “under arms” and tanks, tanks beyond counting. They employ inhumane ILLEGAL arms such as Depleted Uranium, White Phosphorous, and Napalm. The government is spending $700BILLION every year on GUNS. The Liars swear we are “imminent danger” of being overrun by Barbarian Hordes and that we should be terrified and give Them all the money they want, to buy every concievable weapon …..But we are “crazy” to want semiauto weapons to defend ourselves …….. then it surrounds it’s self with 24/7 ARMED bodyguards and WALLS, WALLS, WALLS for THEM, but you are a racist bigot for wanting a wall . …. and even THAT is not enough as they constantly tell they need MORE weapons and BIGGER weapons ….. then tells YOU that YOU are crazy for wanting semiauto weapons …… “they” have hidden bunkers, stocked with tons of food, medical supplies, equipment, all paid for by YOU, but you will not be welcome inside ….. but YOU are a NUT-CASE for prepping.
Actually it just strikes me – — I wonder how many synagogues are well stocked shelters on YOUR TAXES? DHS has been pouring Your money into Jewish “security” leaving you as a Second Class Citizen who just gets and pays the Bills.
Every year THEY are spending $23,400 (borrowed at interest) PER American on GUNS ….. but YOU are the crazy.
Way back in 1992, Hurricane Andrew hit south Florida. FEMA was so slow and so ineffective in responding that Congress held an investigation. During FEMA testimony, it came out that 90% of FEMA’s budget did NOT go to disaster relief. Most went to “continuity of government programs”. In other words, it went to build and support the underground and isolated bunkers designed to provide a safe haven for the politically well connected. Has the allocation of funds changed for today’s FEMA? I have no idea, and with recent changes in accounting standards (FASB 56) it is now completely legal for agencies to flat out lie about where the money goes or even how much they spend. https://phibetaiota.net/201…
Great Post ! People should listen to this guy.
Finland did beat back the Russians during WWII.
One important factor, more than buildings, for surviving a SHTF scenario is is how homogenous a population is. The more tight knit a country is the better their chances are of surviving. While the more “multi-kultaralism”, ie. diversity, there is the worse it be if everyone is not on the same page.
(Refer back to Selco’s recent article on ‘Trapped Migrants’.)
Note: While Russia spans ten/eleven time zones, it would be a mistake to step foot on it’s soil since no what matter differences they may have they will instantaneous unite defend Mother Russia.
My mother is from Helsinki and I must have it in my blood cos I’ve moved from Brisbane to Tasmania to prep….the weather is more like Finland here too ????
Uhh., we really don’t have a civil defense, other than a siren and a radio announcer mumbling something.
We really are on our own and have a fantasy the government will save US. That’s a bad personal policy. We don’t even have the required well-regulated Militia and citizens bearing arms in such manner.
BUT, we do have information on how to save yourself all over on the Internet and books galore on the subject. We also can buy guns and whatever you like all over your State, if you just look for the most part.
We just gotta DO! Americans have always been self-starting and rugged individualism. Why not start NOW?
I really will appreciate an advance copy of Finland emergency preparedness strategies sent to my mail.
This piece though us rich and makes me want to know more about Finland.
Thank you
GIO
Before everyone gets too excited about Finland and how they with disasters, you may want to do a little searching regarding the economic stability of this social democracy. They country is nearly bankrupt and is taking drastic measures to prevent total collapse. This may not be the model to emulate!
I wasn’t writing about their economic stability. The article is clearly about their preparedness efforts. Why is it that when another country excels at one thing, you can’t just look at that one thing and say, “Wow, that’s great” as opposed to looking for something to criticize? Their civil defense program is excellent and we can learn a lot from it.
Wrote a longer comment that crashed out. I’ve worked with Finns for years.
Don’t believe everything you read about Finn Policies. It’s like saying every Mormon has a year of supplies. There is a huge difference between what is written and what is done.
The funny part is they’re right at the soviet border and soviet tanks will be in the streets of Helsinki within hours of the start of the party.