The Minister of the Interior awarded the Civil Defence Medal of Merit to Rauma’s Property Manager Lauri Sillanpää
News
Rauma’s Property Manager Lauri Sillanpää has been awarded the Civil Defence Medal of Merit, Second Class. The recognition was granted by Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen based on a proposal from the Satakunta Rescue Department.
The medal was awarded for long-term efforts to improve the condition and operational readiness of civil defence shelters in the City of Rauma. Lauri Sillanpää has played a key role in initiating and advancing the development of the city’s shelter network.
When fire inspections revealed deficiencies in the city’s shelters, the findings were taken seriously and led to systematic corrective actions. In practice, all shelters owned by the city were inspected and identified shortcomings were addressed methodically.
– Amid changes in the security environment, it was jointly recognized that the shelters needed to be brought up to standard. At the same time, the rescue department began to pay closer attention to shelters during fire inspections. At that time, we had a summer engineer who surveyed all shelters and compiled a summary. Based on that, a team was formed within facility services to address the identified deficiencies, says Sillanpää.
From the rescue department’s perspective, the approach has been highly exemplary. The work has been driven by a strong understanding of the importance of civil defence and has progressed systematically without external pressure.
– Lauri’s name and the work carried out in Rauma have been brought up several times over the years when discussing the status of municipally owned civil defence shelters. The Civil Defence Medal of Merit can be awarded to Finnish citizens who have distinguished themselves in civil defence work, so from our perspective it was natural to propose this recognition for Lauri. He has been instrumental in initiating and advancing this development, says Risk Management Manager Mikko Puolitaival from the Satakunta Rescue Department.
Although the medal was awarded to Sillanpää, the rescue department also wishes to recognize the contributions of the wider team. Both Sillanpää and Puolitaival emphasize that the work has been carried out collaboratively from the outset, and the recognition is a shared achievement. Key contributors include HVAC Engineer Janne Peni, Site Manager Riku Ollikainen, Maintenance Manager Reijo Ringbom, and Electrical Technician Sami Korventausta.
– Janne ensured the HVAC systems in the shelters were brought up to standard and arranged pressure testing. Riku oversaw the correction of identified deficiencies and Reijo managed the project’s financial aspects and the overall scope of repairs. Sami handled the electrical improvements. I acted as the convener of the group, the liaison with the rescue department, and was responsible for procurement processes, Sillanpää explains.
– In addition to maintaining civil defence shelters, Lauri Sillanpää is involved in the comprehensive upkeep of the city’s building stock, the development of safety solutions, and the identification of premises suitable for evacuation. He also contributes to coordinating key property-related functions such as energy and water supply as well as technical safety solutions, says Tanja Ufer, Safety Manager of the City of Rauma.
For the City of Rauma, the recognition is a significant acknowledgement of its long-term efforts in safety and preparedness. The medal will be presented at a later date, and other personnel involved in developing civil defence will also be recognized on that occasion.
