Both residents and authorities will get to test their crisis resilience in the Itätuuli25 preparedness exercise
The Finnish Red Cross Satakunta District, Satakunta Wellbeing Services County, and the City of Pori, together with third-sector organizations, are organizing a joint evacuation drill on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at the Itätuuli Learning and Sports Center. The purpose of the exercise is to test multidisciplinary cooperation in a disruption situation and provide citizens with information on various preparedness themes. The evacuation centre is open for visitors and from 10.30AM to 2PM. Welcome!
During the drill, held at Itätuuli School (Kalskeentie 9, 28370 Pori), an evacuation center will be set up at the school due to a simulated major disruption. The focus will be on operations at this center. The goal of the exercise is to develop and train preparedness and joint operating models in a crisis situation, in cooperation with authorities, the municipality, and volunteers. A major part of the exercise is also to increase residents’ sense of security.
– Our goal is to involve 300–400 people in the drill. We especially encourage local residents and other residents to participate, either as volunteer evacuees or to freely observe the activities of the evacuation center. During the day, we will also provide information and training on how to prepare for different emergency situations (72-hour preparedness training), says Sami Nygård, Preparedness Manager at the Finnish Red Cross Satakunta District.
Anyone can sign up as a participant in the drill by Sunday, March 23 at 6.00 p.m. via the registration form here (in Finnish). If you just want to come and observe the activities at the evacuation center, you are welcome to visit freely between 10.30AM and 2PM, no registration required. Children are also welcome to participate, and Save the Children Finland will have an activity station open from 11AM to 2PM. There will also be training on emergency preparedness and a First Aid Helper Course focusing on essential first aid skills between 11:00AM and 1PM.
In the morning, a bus service will be arranged to the evacuation center from WinNova (Tekniikantie 3), as well as continuous transportation from the East Pori area. The buses will be marked with signs reading “Itätuuli25-harjoitus,” and they are free of charge. The first bus will leave WinNova, passing through the Matkakeskus Travel Center, and arrive at Itätuuli at 9.30AM. Return trip will leave Itätuuli at 1.30PM. The East Pori shuttle will run the route Itätuuli School – Luodontie (Väinönraitti P) – Lukkarisannantie (Uus-Aittaluodontie L) – Koivulantie (Sammontie E) – back to Itätuuli School. The first departure will be from Itätuuli School at 9.55AM, with the last at 1.15PM.
Participating in the drill are the City of Pori, Satakunta Wellbeing Services County, Finnish Red Cross Satakunta District, Volunteer Rescue Service (Vapepa), Evangelical Lutheran Parishes of Pori, Save the Children Finland, Porin Linjat, and Porin Vesi.
All information regarding the Itätuuli25 exercise, including transportation timetables and registration forms, can be found at pori.fi/itatuuli25. The page also includes information in English.