Finnish eighth-graders once again demonstrated excellent rescue skills and knowledge of safety issues in the national finals. This year’s NouHätä! championship was won by the team representing Hj. Nortamo comprehensive school in Rauma, which is part of the Satakunta wellbeing and rescue services county. Venla Ahtiainen, Venla Kalliokari and Ester Lähdemäki competed in the winning team. The winning team received a prize of 2,000 euros as well as the NouHätä trophy, a chrome-plated firefighter helmet. Second place went to Pudas secondary school in Tornio, with Lieksa secondary school from Lieksa coming in third.

In the practical section of the final competition, teams had to tackle various kinds of accidents, such as a rubbish bin that had caught on fire and a road accident involving a crash between a moped and an electric scooter. The final competition also included a theory section.

This year, around 46,000 students across Finland have received training in safety skills. Schools decide whether to sign up for the NouHätä! campaign. The campaign is coordinated by the Finnish National Rescue Association SPEK. “The goal of the campaign is to teach young people safety skills, such as how to prevent fires and other accidents, what to do in an accident and how to prepare for power outages and other similar incidents,” says Tomi Sirkiä, SPEK’s campaign coordinator.

The competition has three stages, and participation is voluntary for schools. More than 9,000 eighth-graders participated in the preliminary qualifiers in teams of three. A total of 281 teams made it to the regional competitions, of which the winners, 21 teams, competed in the national finals held at Emergency Services Academy Finland in Kuopio on 24 April. The final competition was planned and arranged by officer and rescuer students of the Academy.

List of results

NouHätä! 2023 -loppukilpailun tulokset 

1.  Hj. Nortamon peruskoulu, Satakunnan pelastuslaitos 164 
2. Putaan koulu, Lapin pelastuslaitos 163 
3. Lieksan yläkoulu, Pohjois-Karjalan pelastuslaitos 155 
4. Koivukylän koulu, Keski-Uudenmaan pelastuslaitos  154 
5. Kauhavan yhtenäiskoulu, Etelä-Pohjanmaan pelastuslaitos 153 
6. Ruukin koulu, Pohjois-Pohjanmaan pelastuslaitos 150 
7. Linnajoen koulu, Itä-Uudenmaan pelastuslaitos 150 
8. Urheilupuiston koulu, Kymenlaakson pelastuslaitos 147 
9. Laajasalon peruskoulu, Helsingin kaupungin pelastuslaitos 145 
10. Salpausselän koulu, Päijät-Hämeen pelastuslaitos 144 
11. Parolan yhteiskoulu, Kanta-Hämeen pelastuslaitos 143 
12. Rantasalmen yhtenäiskoulu, Etelä-Savon pelastuslaitos 142 
13. Vaajakosken yhtenäiskoulu, Keski-Suomen pelastuslaitos 139 
14. Nummenpakan koulu/Aurajoen yksikkö, Varsinais-Suomen pelastuslaitos 137 
15. Juhannuskylän koulu, Pirkanmaan pelastuslaitos 136 
16. Minna Canthin koulu, Pohjois-Savon pelastuslaitos 133 
17. Lestin koulu, Keski-Pohjanmaan pelastuslaitos 131 
18. Karkkilan yhteiskoulu, Länsi-Uudenmaan pelastuslaitos 128 
19. Simpeleen koulu, Etelä-Karjalan pelastuslaitos 124 
20. Laihian yhtenäiskoulu, Pohjanmaan pelastuslaitos 116 
21. Keskuskoulu, Kainuun pelastuslaitos 114 

In the event of a tie, the team that received a higher score from the practical section is the winner.