Mira Leinonen becomes the only female Chief Fire Officer in Finland
Thank you for choosing Automatic Translation. Currently we are offering translations from English into French and German, with more translation languages to be added in the near future. Please be aware that these translations are generated by a third party AI software service. While we have found that the translations are mostly correct, they may not be perfect in every case. To ensure the information you read is correct, please refer to the original article in English. If you find an error in a translation which you would like to bring to our attention, it would help us greatly if you let us know. We can correct any text or section, once we are aware of it. Please do not hesitate to contact our webmaster to let us know of any translation errors.
CTIF's former Chair of the Women in Fire & Rescue Commission, Mira Leinonen, Finland, has been named the new sector director and chief of rescue services for the Päijät-Häme region, succeeding Jari Hyvärinen, who is set to retire in May. Leinonen, an experienced professional in rescue services, will take up her new role by August 1.
Holding a Master of Science in Engineering and advanced rescue officer training, Leinonen has built a career in leadership and emergency services, with additional studies in strategic leadership and organizational communication. She currently leads the rescue unit at the Regional State Administrative Agency for Southern Finland, as reported by the Pelatustieto newspaper on April 28th, 2025.
Leinonen becomes only the second woman in Finland's history to hold this position, following Piia Vähäsalo, who led rescue services in Jokilaaksot.
“The skilled operations of the Päijät-Häme rescue department have impressed me in my role as a supervisory authority,” Leinonen stated. “The work is carried out with passion, but without making a big fuss about it.”
Leinonen emphasizes workplace well-being as her priority, noting that a leader's most crucial role is to ensure staff are supported.
“Many people probably already know me, so I believe I will integrate well among the other rescue directors,” she remarked.
She is also involved in a recently launched occupational safety initiative and hopes Päijät-Häme will serve as a pilot site for the project.
Leinonen looks forward to working with the region’s dedicated rescue teams and continuing efforts to maintain well-being in emergency services at a national level.