Last modified 15.3.2011 at 13:23

What to do when things go wrong?

Text: Aleksi Ahlakorpi Photos: Pekka Kallasaari

Finland is a rather safe place to live and Oulu is one of the safest cities in Finland. But even in a peaceful place like this, things can sometimes go wrong. Here's some information on what to do when it happens.

112 is the national emergency number. You can call that number even without a sim-card or with a locked phone.

112 is the national emergency number. You can call that number even without a SIM card or with a locked phone. It is recommended that you dial 112 only in urgent, genuine cases of emergency when someone’s life, health, property or the environment is in danger, or if there is any reason to assume this to be the case.

Maybe it's a regime of Finlandisation or just common sense that Finnish people respect the red man, even in traffic lights. You rarely see Finnish people crossing the street against the red light - even if there are no cars in sight.

Traffic in Finland isn't chaotic and people follow the common rules quite obediently. Despite that, there were over 440 traffic accidents in the Northern Ostrobotnia region in 2008. If you see one or get involved in one, here's what to do:

If you can, make the call to the emergency centre yourself
State what has happened
State the precise address and municipality
Answer all the questions asked
Follow the given instructions
Do not hang up until told to do so

This to-do-list applies to any emergency situation, not just for traffic accidents. Remember that there's no reason to be afraid of dialling 112 and there are no special instructions to learn before calling. You can also call 112 if you witness a crime.

If you lose some important belongings or find something that seems to be lost by someone, you should contact the lost and found department of Police.

Lost and found

If you get lost and can't find a bus stop and the only Finns you can find are too silent to answer anything, you might want to call a cab. The number for taxi in Oulu is 0600 300 81. If you're in a hurry or just don't want to wait to get through, you can dial 0600 30080. It traces the place you're calling from and connects straight to the nearest taxi. The service does not work on prepaid subscriptions.

If you lose some important belongings or find something that seems to be lost by someone, you should contact the lost and found department of the police station. The best way to do it is by visiting there. You'll find the police station at Rata-aukio 2, next to the bus station and the three big supermarkets in Raksila, quite close to the railway station, too.

If you need to report an offence, you can go to police station but you can do it also on the internet. The police has their own page at www.poliisi.fi where you find information in English and also the appropriate form to fill in for report.

Sources:
www.112.fi - Emergency Response Centre Administration
www.poliisi.fi – Finnish Police www.oulunaluetaksi.fi – Oulu Area Local Taxi ltd.