Today, the agenda of the Riigikogu included the report on the implementation of “Main Objectives of Security Policy of Estonia until 2015” in 2011. The report of the Minister of Internal Affairs Ken-Marti Vaher included the priorities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in addition to the main directions of security policy. The Minister of Internal Affairs analysed the statistical data presented in the report field by field. 

On the subject of improving the rescue capacity of the state, Vaher said that the existing national network of rescue teams in Estonia bears signs of history and fails to take into account the demographic and economic-geographic changes that have taken place in our society in recent years. He mentioned this as the reason why the Rescue Board thoroughly analysed the rescue services model in 2011. The objective of the changes is to concentrate national rescue teams into the areas with the densest population and risk concentration, all the while supporting voluntary rescue services. 

According to the Minister, the changes will ensure life saving services within one to fifteen minutes to 121,000 people more than at the moment. This should also increase the number of teams with life-saving capacities from the present 41 to 66, which will increase the population covered by life-saving services to nearly 95 %. The Minister explained that the whole rescue work management system has been reviewed to ensure clear division of responsibility and avoid duplication. Changes in management system are primarily evident in the new structure of the Rescue Board which were enforced on 1 January. On 1 January 2012 the Alarm Centre became an independent government agency within the area of government of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The most important development in the work of the Alarm Centre was the merging of regional control centres and transferral to the common emergency number 112. Transferral should be complete in 2014. Emergency number 112 could then be used to call the police, rescue service and ambulance. 

Kalle Laanet, Andres Anvelt, Peep Aru and Marko Pomerants took the floor during the debate. 

The Riigikogu Press Service