Trust is a rescuer’s most important tool

Rescue work requires a broad range of skills, good physical fitness and trust in one’s colleagues. At Helsinki Airport Rescue Services, a shift lasts 24 hours. There are four stations in total. The satellite stations are staffed by two people, and their main focus is securing aircraft. At the main station, there are more rescuers, and in addition to aviation rescue readiness they handle firefighting and first-response duties across the entire airport area.

Jukka Kymäläinen graduated from the Emergency Services Academy in 2000. He has worked as a rescuer at Finavia for 21 years. Before his career in rescue services, he trained as an electrician.

“In the background there was still this thought that I wanted to do something else. I was a military police officer during my service, and the authority side of things interested me. What also appealed to me in rescue work was a certain kind of excitement,” Jukka says.

For Aaro Koponen, the idea of working in firefighting and rescue services first emerged during upper secondary school.

“I filled in a questionnaire, and based on that the suggested professions for me were firefighter and police officer. While serving in the army as a medic, the idea of working in the rescue services became stronger. After the army I attended the Helsinki Rescue School, graduating in 2013.”

Aaro Koponen joined Finavia just under a year ago. Before that, he worked for 12 years at the Helsinki Rescue Department at Haaga Fire Station.

Learning the secrets of the field from a more experienced colleague

At the airport, rescue work focuses heavily on prevention and preparedness. The shift begins at 9 a.m. with a morning briefing, where the station assignment and duties for the shift are confirmed.

“Our most important task is to protect the terminal, the aircraft and the passengers. That means a lot of training and preparation. The area is huge, so you really need to know the locations well. Everyone also has to be able to do everything,” Aaro Koponen explains.

This is where a more experienced colleague becomes invaluable.

“Jukka knows every corner of the airport. I’ve learned a lot from him about how to get to different places quickly. That’s absolutely essential.”

Trust grows from training and experience

Rescue work is strongly based on knowing, as a professional, what to do in different situations.

“When you can trust that the other person will take care of their role, you can concentrate fully on doing yours,” Jukka says.

This applies both at the station, when responding to an alarm, and on site during an incident.

Aaro sees trust as a form of professional security.

“We all have the same kind of training. We all know how to act. You also quickly learn about each other’s personalities, which increases trust even further. I really value Jukka’s calmness and analytical ability. You can tell that you can rely on his expertise, and that he has excellent command of the airport area.”

Jukka, in turn, appreciates Aaro’s proactive approach.

“If, during a shared shift, I ask Aaro whether he can take care of something, the answer comes immediately: ‘I’ll handle it,’” Jukka says appreciatively.

He also praises his colleague’s physical fitness and technical skills.

“He’s very capable and in great shape. During rope training, he knew the knots and attachments really well. That’s where I’m quite humble myself.”

A workplace where it’s easy to feel at home

Although the job involves preparing for serious incidents, everyday life at the station is often calm. When there are no alarms, time is spent training, practising and maintaining equipment and vehicles.

“There’s also some free time, and you might read a book, for example. The atmosphere is pleasantly relaxed, and with colleagues you talk about work but also joke around. It’s been easy to settle in here as a newcomer,” Aaro says.