Director General Jyrki Landstedt rejects criticism from ERC directors

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The Director General of the Emergency Response Centre Administration, Jyrki Landstedt, believes that the concerns expressed by the directors of the Finnish emergency response centres (ERCs) have been caused by controversial issues within the administration - and not by the actions of individuals.
      Last week, the directors of 14 of the country's 15 ERC centres sent a joint letter to Minister of the Interior Kari Rajamäki (SDP) stating that the Emergency Response Centre Administration is in a serious crisis, and that the current problems cannot be resolved without the resignation of Director General Landstedt.
     
In an interview with the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE's morning TV programme Aamu-TV today, Landstedt denied all allegations of his seeking to avoid responsibility. He felt that the surfacing of the issue so strongly just shows the serious attitude the ERC directors take toward their work. According to Landstedt, the directors themselves have wanted to have additional responsibilities. Landstedt noted that it was totally understandable that pushing through major changes in a young organisation such as this would create stresses and strains, but he nevertheless believes that the Emergency Response Centre Administration will be able to resolve the crisis by discussing the problems. He rejected the idea of resignations at the top as the only panacea.
      Moreover, it came as a surprise to Landstedt that the crisis letter was made public while a committee chaired by Permanent Secretary Ritva Viljanen of the Ministry of the Interior was still assessing the problems existing within the Emergency Response Centre Administration. Landstedt noted that he is looking forward to the results of the assessment, which are due next week.
     
At a press conference on Thursday morning, Landstedt said that he intended to be involved in the implementation of the ERC reforms (which began in 2001) also in the future. "It is a challenge in which I firmly believe", Landstedt concluded.
      Furthermore, in his press release Landstedt stated that while there are many things that need to be improved, the most important concern involves the development and welfare of the ERC personnel.
      On the other hand, the police have been forced to react to the ERC problems by establishing their own network of command centres in the south of the country. The largest of these centres was opened in the Pasila Police Precinct at the end of August.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Shortage of skilled ERC operators hampers reception of 112 calls (27.9.2006)

Links:
  Emergency Response Centre Administration

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