How Sweden handles crises

Three basic principles

An important part of Swedish crisis management is what is commonly referred to as the three basic principles.

The principle of responsibility

Whoever is responsible for an operation under normal circumstances should also be responsible for it during a crisis. This means that the regular healthcare system is in charge of healthcare even during a crisis, that the municipalities manage schools and elder care, and so on.

The principle of continuity

During a crisis, operations should function in a similar manner as under normal conditions—as far as possible. Operations should also, if possible, be conducted at the same location as under normal conditions.

The principle of proximity

A crisis should be managed where it occurs and by those who are most directly affected and responsible. It is therefore primarily the affected municipality and the relevant region that lead and carry out the response. Only if local resources are insufficient will state-level intervention be necessary.

Municipalities

The municipality is the foundation of society’s crisis preparedness. The better the municipality is at managing a crisis, the better society’s overall crisis management will be.

In the event of a crisis, the municipality should:

• Ensure that schools, elder care, district heating, emergency services, and other essential services continue to function even during a crisis.
• Coordinate government agencies, businesses, volunteer organizations, religious communities, and associations so that they can work together when a crisis arises.
• Have a plan for extraordinary events. For example, plan for and conduct drills for a major power outage or a flood.
• Provide support to those affected by serious incidents.

County administrative boards

The county administrative boards have regional responsibility.

In the event of a crisis, the county administrative board shall:

• Coordinate with affected municipalities, the region, and other stakeholders to manage the incident as effectively as possible.
• Support municipalities in their preventive efforts through, for example, drills and training.

Regions

Are responsible, among other things, for healthcare and public transportation. All regions have a crisis management plan and must always maintain disaster preparedness.

In the event of a crisis, the region shall:

• Allocate the region’s resources in a way that minimizes disruption to regular operations. For example, in the event of a major incident with many injured, regular healthcare services must continue to function.
• Be able to provide crisis support to those suffering from mental health issues as a result of a serious incident or crisis.
• Implement necessary infection control measures in the event of an epidemic or pandemic.

Emergency management agencies

In Sweden, there are 67 agencies designated as emergency management agencies, including 46 national agencies and 21 county administrative boards. Emergency management agencies play a particularly important role in civil defense and in managing crises and wars. They must have a particularly strong capacity to carry out their duties during periods of heightened readiness.

The emergency management agencies are divided into twelve emergency management sectors, each led by a lead agency.

• Economic security: The Swedish Social Insurance Agency
• Electronic communications and postal services: The Swedish Post and Telecom Authority
• Energy supply: Swedish Energy Agency
• Financial services: Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority
• Provision of basic data: Swedish Tax Agency
• Health, healthcare, and social care: National Board of Health and Welfare
• Industry, construction, and trade: Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth
• Food supply and drinking water: Swedish Food Agency
• Public order and safety: Swedish Police Authority
• Emergency services and civil protection: Civil Defense Agency
• Transportation: Swedish Transport Administration
• Foreign trade: National Board of Trade

Voluntary organizations

Voluntary defense organizations have existed for more than 100 years and play an important role in Sweden’s crisis and wartime preparedness. There are 18 volunteer defense organizations in Sweden with approximately 380,000 members of various ages.

FFO has specific missions within crisis preparedness and total defense and is funded by government grants through the Civil Defense Agency and the Swedish Armed Forces. These organizations possess various specialized skills that are particularly useful when societal disruptions and crises occur. These may include staff work, radio communications, transportation, and logistics, as well as motorcycle riding, skydiving, and search and rescue with dogs.