Janne Lehtonen is familiar to many Finns from the TV series Amazing Race and Erikoisjoukot. Janne is also well-known at Helsinki Airport, as he started working for Finavia’s rescue services about a year ago.
"I ended up at Finavia through a friend with whom I had been on Amazing Race and Erikoisjoukot. He had already worked here for a year, and suggested that this could be a new kind of challenge for me. Working at the airport differs significantly from my previous jobs due to the international and varied nature of the work. The initial rescue tasks related to air traffic and aircraft at the airport are not done or practised anywhere outside airports," Janne says.
The Helsinki Airport Rescue Services are responsible for the airport’s rescue operations, carrying out a wide range of duties. In addition to ensuring continuous air traffic rescue readiness, the rescue services also take care of daily rescue operations and prehospital emergency medical services throughout the airport.
"We practise and develop our operations actively. When it comes to air traffic, it is our duty to continuously prepare for a possible major accident. At the same time, as this is such a large and international airport, you get to carry out prehospital emergency medical services and rescue tasks and assist people who need help," Janne says.
Demanding work creates unique team spirit
In addition to carrying out emergency response duties, the rescue personnel ensure that the rescue equipment used at the airport is always ready and in working order. Training and practice are also a key part of the work of the airport rescue services. For example, every Monday, rescue personnel on duty receive training or do an exercise related to the initial rescue operations for an aviation accident.
"We spend a significant amount of time together in our work community, which means that fire stations are a second home for rescue personnel and the work community a second family. In a demanding situation, you need to be able to trust a co-worker to do everything they can if something unusual happens."
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