The Sixth NORDEFCO Safety Officer Course at FINCENT completed

The sixth Safety Officer Course brought together participants from Nordic countries for five days at FINCENT. Gaining basic knowledge about the safety management in multinational operations and building up the networks between Nordic safety experts were two main goals of the course.

The NORDEFCO Safety Officer Course (SAFOC) was conducted in mid December 2021 in Helsinki, Finland. The course participants came from the Nordic countries Finland, Sweden and Norway.

The SAFOC focuses on the Safety Management Process in line with Operational Planning Process (OPP) including military in-service and occupational safety (MIOS) in multinational operations and exercises. The course is organized within the framework of Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO).

The aim of the course is to prepare students from Nordic countries to serve as safety managers or officers within a tactical level headquarters or in exercise control while applying operational or exercise planning processes.

The Nordic Safety Officer Course aims to provide combined and joint training for full- or part-time dedicated safety personnel joining or planning to join a combined exercise or operation giving them the capacity to support unit commanders in their safety management work on a battalion/brigade or corresponding level.

One important goal during the course is building up the networks between safety experts inside Nordic countries. The course is based on the sharing of information between the students and the teachers. The course participants have different experiences and competence, and the aim to create an open and active atmosphere to encourage everybody to share their valuable information with the other team members was well reached.

Through lectures, syndicate work, case studies and practical exercise the students gained the basic knowledge about the safety management in multinational operations and exercises. The course was very successful and students had fruitfull five days contemplating and discussing safety and other issues.