Barracks | The million-dollar renovation of the barracks provided clean indoor air and doors for showers

No the smell of the barracks. Doesn’t really smell like anything.

Barrack number 125 of Parolannumme Armored Brigade gives an indication of what kind of Finnish barracks are now being renovated. The fundamental improvement of fourteen million euros and two years is immediately felt, especially in the nose.

In the past, clothes and equipment were dried in the same premises where people lived, but now there is a separate tent and mask net dryer in the barrack yard. Wet tents can be hung there and mechanically dried.

Each conscript, on the other hand, has his own separate lockable cage cabinet where he can dry his own equipment. Constant wiping with a wet rag is reduced because there are central vacuum cleaner connections in the corridors.

There is also a toilet on the lowest floor, which is used in the same way as in children’s and dog houses: you can wash your boots on the floor drain when you enter.

And above all, the air changes.

“Previously the ventilation machine in the barracks was a device the size of a wheelbarrow, now there are two of them the size of a shipping container and at both ends of the building,” says the senior sergeant Santeri Tuominen From the headquarters of the Helsinki anti-aircraft regiment.

It describes the desire of the Defense Properties to make all the barracks healthier. According to defense real estate, half of the barracks were renovated in the 2000s, and now 15 percent more are being renovated. The goal is to have everything repaired by the end of the 20th century.

That’s why Panssaribrikaati and Poolustuskinteistöt presented their latest renovated site on Tuesday.

At the same time, other things are renewed. Now the showers in the washing facilities also have doors, which makes it easier to organize shared accommodation, i.e. shower times, for example. Likewise, bicycles can now be hung on their own hooks in the yard storage.

In many ways, the Helsinki Air Defense Regiment’s new shelters in Parolannum look the same as they did in the 90s, but it is the quality of the indoor air that is the essential change. A small but big change is also the fact that there are now enough sockets for, say, 12 mobile phones.

Conscripts seem satisfied. For example, colds caused by indoor air have decreased, they say.

“We didn’t have high expectations of the facilities when we came here, but it was really great to find out on the first day that we were getting into a new unit,” says the officer trainee Ukko Laakkonen From Lahti.

“It’s a really good indoor atmosphere to sleep and go to work here,” he continues.

A sergeant from Espoo says the same Matias Lindström.

“The experiences are only good. There are more cheerful spaces than you expected.”

Corporal Joel Simola From Espoo, he remembered his elementary school days, which included indoor air problems in schools.

“It was a positive surprise to enter the newly renovated building. There was no smell here.”

Tuesday the presentation event may have been the first time that the Finnish Defense Forces, in its new NATO era, invited the media to the garrisons. However, NATO membership is not visible much in the garrisons. There are no flags or sleeve badges

The commander of the armored brigade, colonel Rainer Kuosmanen says that everyday life will continue as before, but more troops from other member countries will participate in the spring exercises.

The conscripts are tripping over – membership is still not felt or seen. Officer cadet Laakkonen says that the chief gave one lesson where the topic was NATO.

“It may be that the next incoming batches will participate more in international exercises,” believes Sergeant Lindström.