Volunteer activities

It is important to improve the awareness and skills of private individuals and undertakings in order to protect our own property and the property of others from damage and theft, as well as from water, fire, electricity and gas accidents. Above all, this means efficient awareness raising and the engagement of experts in increasing safety, as well as the improvement of neighbourhood watch possibilities, active supervision and everyone’s preparedness to prevent or respond to accidents.

The pan-Estonian network of volunteer rescuers, assistant police officers, neighbourhood watch members and other activities complement the activities of professional rescuers and law enforcement officers, bring together the community and the enforcement agencies, and help solve and prevent accidents and violations of order.

An irreplaceable and inexhaustible contribution to the creation of security is provided by the following volunteers: volunteer rescuers in rescue societies, assistant police officers in police departments, volunteer maritime rescuers in maritime rescue societies, neighbourhood watch members in neighbourhoods and many others who enliven their community with their activities.

In order to promote volunteer activities in the area of internal security, the Ministry of the Interior together with various agencies provides financial support to volunteer associations and activities, creates a favourable legal environment and recognises exemplary people and acts in creating security.

Internal security volunteers

In the area of rescue work, the activities of volunteers have long-standing traditions and provide a considerable contribution to ensuring a sense of security in the community and the functioning of the entire rescue system.

As volunteers are very familiar with local conditions, they can rapidly respond to accidents, reduce or even prevent damage.

The contribution of volunteer rescuers is increasing

As of the end of 2020, Estonia had 117 volunteer rescue crews. In addition to volunteer crews, reserve rescue groups operate in Harju County, western Estonia and in the Viru counties. Nearly 2,200 people are currently engaged in volunteer rescue organisations (2,166 in 2020). 

The majority of volunteers are engaged in both rescue and preventive activities, with the remaining (only about 350 volunteer rescuers) engaged just in preventive activities. Volunteer rescuers take part in rescue or preventive activities in joint call service with professional rescuers or on the basis of agreements concluded between the Rescue Board and non-government organisations (NGOs) that unite volunteer rescuers. Under the agreements, the NGOs are paid a fee for which they procure equipment (cars, clothing, personal protection equipment) and the Rescue Board may also compensate legal persons for transport, communication and other necessary costs arising from participation in rescue or preventive work.

In 2020, volunteer rescuers took part in the joint call service together with professional rescuers in 20 rescue crews; that means that a volunteer rescuer is on the crew in a 24-hour shift. The option of participating in the joint call service was used by 71 volunteer rescuers on 309 occasions. The number of participants in the joint call service was the largest at the Põhja Rescue Centre where 53 volunteer rescuers took part in the joint call service on 242 occasions.

In 2019, the rescue vehicles of volunteer rescue crews were dispatched on 3,570 occasions in total. Volunteer rescuers were the first to respond on 1,537 occasions (1,425 in 2018), which is 8% more than in 2018 (an overview of volunteer rescue crews is provided in annex 3-s).

In 2019, 690 volunteers performed 6,478 preventive activities (an increase of 7% and 16%, respectively, compared to 2018). Volunteer rescuers provided home consultations on 3,902 occasions in 2019, which made up 17% of all the home consultations. 

Support and recognition


Volunteer rescuers are also an important partner for local governments and companies who increase the sense of security in the region and foster the life of the community by supporting volunteers.

The state’s financial support to volunteer rescuers has also increased in recent years. In 2020, direct support to volunteer rescuers via the Rescue Board’s budget amounted to 1.92 million euros, plus other additional project-based support. The aim is to find additional financial resources (e.g. project support, external aid support from the European Union in the 2014–2020 budget period) to facilitate the development and sustainability of volunteer rescue work.

Volunteers are also given technical equipment, tools and other equipment where possible.

Every year, the Minister of the Interior recognises the Volunteer Group of the Year and the supporters of volunteer rescuers who may include local governments, private companies and other organisations that have made a contribution to increasing security in society and developing volunteer activities in the area of internal security.

Assistant police officers are volunteers who help ensure public order and fulfil their tasks in their own free time.

Assistant police officers fulfil a wide range of tasks from patrolling, ensuring public order and preventive work to traffic supervision and the detection of IT offences.
 

Assistant police officers in every community


The Estonian assistant police officer system celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2014. Over the years, the number of volunteer law enforcement officers has steadily grown. The biggest leap was in 2007 and 2008 when many people joined with a desire to contribute if similar events to those in April 2007 should take place. The subsequent years were quite peaceful and the reserve of assistant police officers decreased.

At the same time, assistant police officers have become more active. In 2014, 610 assistant police officers took part in the activities of the police, performing a total of 79,360 hours of volunteer work. This is equivalent to the working hours of an average police department.
 

New opportunities for volunteers


In cooperation between the Ministry of the Interior, the Police and Border Guard Board and the Estonian Association of Assistant Police Officers, proposals were prepared in 2014 to amend  the Assistant Police Office Act, which the Riigikogu adopted as law in spring 2015. The amended Act opened the volunteer police work to more people – the procedures for becoming an assistant police officer were simplified and the organisation of studies was made more flexible. For instance, those who hold a weapon licence and a motor vehicle driving licence, as well as those who only want to take part in preventive police work no longer have to pass a medical examination. The amendment also allows the previous study and work experience of assistant police officer applicants to be taken into account more in their training.

The number of maritime rescue events is growing

The number of maritime rescue and search operations is about 250 a year, and nearly a third of these have been performed by volunteer maritime rescuers in recent years.

Estonia currently has 34 contractual maritime rescue associations located on the Estonian coastline and by water bodies on the border. Volunteer maritime rescue units operate as part of those associations. Volunteer maritime rescuers help the Police and Border Guard Board in search and rescue works performed at sea and on border water bodies. 

Volunteer maritime rescue associations are united by the NGO Rescue Association and NGO Estonian Volunteer Maritime and Lake Rescue, with NGO Saaremaa Volunteer Maritime Rescue Society operating separately.

In order to take part in maritime rescue works, volunteers must complete basic maritime rescue training after which those who have participated in the training and meet all the requirements arising from the law are recognised as volunteer maritime rescuers. As of 1 February 2021, Estonia had 446 recognised volunteer maritime rescuers.

Communication and fuel expenses related to maritime rescue work are compensated from the budget of the Police and Border Guard Board and various support agreements have been concluded with the associations.

Recognition of volunteers in the area of internal security

Every year, we recognise volunteers in the area of internal security. Volunteer rescuers, maritime rescuers or assistant police officers make a significant contribution to a safe society, doing so willingly in their own free time.

Read more

Citizen’s Day

On Citizen’s Day, we highlight the contribution of active and enterprising people to the development of Estonian society.

read more

Last updated: 29.03.2023