Lapland rescue services get EU fund for high-capacity pumping

The European Commission has granted a significant co-financing to the Oulu-Koillismaa Rescue Department for developing a high-capacity pumping module, said the Ministry of the Interior in a press release on Wednesday.

The high-capacity pumping module is a joint project of four rescue departments in northern Finland (Oulu-Koillismaa, Jokilaaksot, Kainuu, and Lappi).

A high-capacity pumping module is a quickly deployable, specialised, and autonomous rescue unit that can be used to pump water out of flooded areas, and, for example, to transport water for extinguishing forest fires.

The objective of the project is to develop a high-capacity pumping module that meets the performance requirements of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

The module as a part of the Arctic Rescue Team comprising the northern Rescue Departments supports Finland’s preparedness for major floods.

The high-capacity pumping module is to be operational at the beginning of 2022. Before deployment, the module will undergo a rigorous certification process during which its technical, training, and operational performance will be tested.

The total value of the project is approximately EUR 813,000, with the EU contributing EUR 610,000. The project financing comes from the EU Civil Protection Pool (ECPP), which is part of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. By accepting this financing, Finland undertakes to participate in the ECPP for a period of five years.