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Authorities use emergency warnings and warning sirens

The competent authorities are responsible for warning the public. The authorities use many channels to publish the warnings. If there is an imminent danger, an emergency warning will be issued and/or a public warning siren sounded. Emergency warnings are broadcast on the radio and sent through the 112 Suomi app and, if necessary, shown on television. The emergency warning is also shown on teletext page 112.

Emergency warning communications

The university provides information about exceptional situations on the aalto.fi website via an alert banner and a continuously updated news article. In the event of a drone threat, among other things, the university will also communicate by text message and/or email.

The public warning signal: 

• The general warning signal is a rising and descending sound alarm lasting for one minute. It is sounded through civil defence sirens and it warns the population outdoors of an imminent threat.
• When you hear the public warning signal, go indoors. Close the doors, windows and ventholes and shut down the ventilation system if possible.
• Wait for instructions from the authorities. The general warning signal is accompanied by a supplementary emergency warning and related instructions on all radio stations as well as on the teletext (YLE Teksti-TV) page 112 or internet .
• Avoid using the phone in order not to overload the network
• For your own safety, do not leave the area unless the authorities tell you to do so.
• The all-clear signal is a one-minute long even-pitched audio signal. It indicates that the hazard or danger is over.

If you receive an emergency warning about a potentially drone threat, do this:

Go indoors.

If you are indoors

• Stay indoors and keep away from windows and doors.
• Stay in the middle of the building, in a room with solid walls.
• If you are in Aalto University buildings you may receive instructions to move to a specific safe indoor space, please follow the instructions.
  • The buildings’ rescue plans provide details on the pre-identified safe spaces of the buildings in case of a drone threat situations, you can move to the space independently.

If you are in a vehicle 

• Leave the vehicle and go indoors.
• The driver must make sure the parked vehicle does not block emergency vehicles.

If you cannot get indoors

• Find the safest place possible where you can stay behind walls or other barriers. 
• If you are in wooded or open terrain and see a drone, move below ground level if possible, for example into a ditch or hollow.

The authorities will issue a new emergency warning with an all-clear message when the danger has passed.

The all‑clear is announced through the same channels as the emergency warning. Emergency warnings are published in the 112 Suomi app, on the radio, on teletext page 112 and, if necessary, on television. They may also be shared through other channels such as the Finnish Broadcasting Company’s Yle app, the 112.fi website, pelastustoimi.fi, yle.fi and the Emergency Response Centre Agency’s Facebook page. 

If the authorities have used a siren to sound a public warning signal, the all‑clear signal is a continuous sound lasting one minute.

Civil defence shelters

Civil defence shelters would be taken into use only by order of the authorities in the event of a threat of war. Shelters are not activated unexpectedly. When an order is given, the shelter must be ready for use within 72 hours.

The shelter manager and their assistant ensure the shelter is made operational. You can find the civil defence shelters intended for members of the Aalto community in the buildings’ rescue plans.

Curfew:

Movement restrictions imposed by the authorities must be strictly obeyed!

Instructions if you notice a fire

Rescue those in immediate danger, warn others!

• Call the emergency number 112 from a safe place.
• It the fire alarm has not yet been activated, warn others and tell them to exit. You can also activate the fire alarm yourself by pressing the fire alarm button (callpoint).
• Initiate first-aid extinguishing if you can do so safely.
• Do not put yourself at risk.
• Prevent the fire from spreading by closing the doors and windows and shutting down the ventilation system if possible.
• Leave the building using the shortest or safest exit route. Go to emergency assembly point.
• Do not enter a smoke-filled stairway/space and do not use the elevator.
• Lead the fire department to the location.
• Return to the building only after being permitted to do so.

The order of the procedures may vary depending on the situation! REMEMBER, SMOKE KILLS!

When you hear the fire bells/siren (fire alarm)

Before leaving, for information security reasons, shut down your laptop/computer or put it in sleep mode.

• Take your personal belongings with you, such as your mobile phone, wallet, ID card, and keys. However, do not go to the toilet or do anything else that takes time, be quick.
• Leave the building by the safest and shortest possible escape route to the assembly point. Assist anyone who may need help.
• Listen to and follow any instructions from the safety organization (if there is one).
• Do not enter a smoky staircase or area, and do not use the elevator!
• You may only re-enter the building after permission has been given.

The order of actions may vary depending on the situation!

REMEMBER, SMOKE KILLS!

• Assess the situation quickly (e.g. does the person awaken when spoken to or shaken, is the person breathing or not?).
• If the person is unconscious but breathing, place them in the recovery position on their side (keep the airways open by tilting the head slightly back).
• If the person is not not breathing or not responding in any way  (i.e. unconscious and not breathing), start cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
• Call the emergency number 112.
• Provide first aid.
• Ask for help from persons who know first aid.
• Lead the emergency services to the location (organise guidance e.g. at the front door).

Once the situation is over, submit an incident report!

How to resuscitate someone with a defibrillator (two bystanders)

• If the person does not wake up, call 112. Put your phone on speaker. The other helper can pick up the defibrillator.
• Put the patient on their back and check if the patient is breathing normally. Open the airways by lifting the chin upwards and tilting the head back. Check if the person's chest is rising. Feel and listen the air stream from the mouth and the nose.
• If the person does not breathe normally, start chest compressions, press 30 times. Place the heel of one hand on the middle of the breastbone and the heel of the other hand on the on top of the first one. Press the breastbone 30 times with your arms straight.
• Begin to give mouth-to-mouth ventilation with two blows of air. Close the patient's nose by pinching the nostrils with your thumb and index finger. Place your lips tightly around the patient's mouth and blow air in his lungs 2 times. Check whether your blows make his chest rise. Continue CPR by alternating 30 compressions and 2 ventilations.
• As soon as the AED arrives, switch on the AED and attach pads and follow the spoken and visual directions. Don’t interrupt CPR while attaching the pads. Follow directions: ”stand clear” and ”deliver shock”. Continue CPR until the person shows signs of recovery or professional help arrives

If there is a gas hazard outside and you are indoors:

• Close doors, windows, ventholes and ventilation if possible and safe. In Aalto buildings, ventilation is closed by the property management company!
• Turn on the radio and wait calmly for instructions.
• Avoid using your phone.
• If the smell of gas is detected inside, dampen some fabric and breathe through it, as the fabric will act as a filter; do not use electrical devices of other equipment which could ignite the gas.
• To avoid danger, do not leave the area unless prompted to do so by authorities!

 If you are suddenly enveloped by a gas cloud outside:

• Do not run; breathe through your nose and protect your breathing with, for example, a handkerchief.
• Try to get indoors or to as high ground as possible.
• If you cannot get indoors right away, try to leave the area moving crosswind.
• Do not move into lower-laying areas, but try to get to higher ground instead.
• If you are in a car, shut off the ventilation system and try to get out of the gas cloud; listen to the car radio for instructions.

Gas hazard or chemical accident indoors:

• ASSESS the situation. If the situation is serious, save yourself and others by exiting via a safe route. Warn others and save people in imminent danger.
• RESTRICT the spreading of dangerous chemicals by shutting doors inside the building. Open windows where possible.
• CALL 112 and report the substance in question, as well as the building and floor of the accident. You will find facility details e.g. on the “Emergency procedures” signs located in the facilities.
• ACT according to the instructions you receive.
• LEAD the rescue department to the location.

Once the situation is over, submit an incident report!

No special actions are needed during a power outage, and everyone involved in building maintenance will be instructed on what to do in each situation. Wait for instructions from staff. A power outage usually lasts from a few minutes to few hours maximum.

• Stay calm, the backup lighting will remain on.
• Do not ignite matches or burn candles (fire hazard); use torches that are in known locations.
• Make sure that the building maintenance service is informed of the disturbance. Avoid making unnecessary calls, as the telephone lines may become overloaded.
• If you get stuck in a lift, press the lift's alarm button and wait calmly; the lift service personnel will come fairly quickly and help you out.
• Turn off equipment that could get damaged when the main power is turned back on.
• If operations cannot be continued, wait for further information from the building maintenance.

Frequently asked questions on power cuts & additional information regarding rolling power outages on campus

• In the event of a disruption in water distribution, avoid running water.
• When the water supply returns to normal, we recommend that you run the water for a while.