Suojaan 2026 emergency preparedness exercise will be held in Savilahti next autumn – crisis resilience develops through cooperation

A unique, large-scale civil defense exercise Suojaan 2026 will be held in Kuopio, in the Savilahti Luola area, on 2.-3.9.2026. This wide-ranging civil defense exercise aims to test the protection of large numbers of people in various emergency situations and exceptional circumstances. The exercise will focus in particular on cooperation between authorities and the development of operating models in situations where the normal functioning of society has been disrupted.

In addition to the rescue services of the Northern Savo welfare region, the City of Kuopio, various authorities, organizations, companies, communities, educational institutions and several regional operators are participating in the exercise. The aim is to strengthen the shared situational awareness, leadership, and communication of the various actors and to improve their ability to operate effectively and safely in demanding conditions.

More than 1 000 people are expected to participate in the exercise, which is part of North Savo’s regional preparedness and overall security development. During the exercise, there may be more official traffic than usual in the Savilahti area, as well as equipment related to the exercise and volunteers participating in the exercise, which may be visible to people moving around in the area. However, the exercise will not cause any disturbance to residents or the environment in the area.