Society's responsibility
The responsibility for crisis management lies primarily with those most affected - the affected municipality and the sector(s) of society involved.
More people get involved as the event grows
As the crisis develops, other actors become increasingly involved. For example, if only one municipality is affected, the affected municipality may not need help from the county administrative board. However, the more municipalities that experience problems, the greater the role of the county administrative board. If the crisis grows further, resources may be needed from authorities at national level.
It works the same way in other parts of society. The crisis is first dealt with in its immediate vicinity, while resources are available at regional and national level if events become too extensive to be dealt with at local level.
Ten sectors of preparedness
In the light of security policy developments in Sweden's neighbourhood, the government has decided to build up civil defence. The result is 10 preparedness sectors, which include 60 preparedness authorities. These are authorities of particular importance to society's crisis preparedness and total defence. The county administrative boards of Norrbotten, Örebro, Stockholm, Östergötland, Västra Götaland and Skåne counties will each be responsible for their own area.
Access to clean drinking water, a functioning electricity supply and transport infrastructure are just some of the essential functions of society. The preparedness authorities must have a good capacity to withstand threats and risks, prevent vulnerabilities, manage peacetime crises and carry out their tasks in the event of increased preparedness. All to ensure that these societal functions work both in everyday life and in crisis.
No one organisation has all the responsibility
The fact that there is no single organisation responsible for the whole country in all crises can make the crisis management system seem confusing. But it becomes easier if you focus on the actual event that triggers the crisis. It's like throwing a stone into a mirrored lake and watching the ripples spread.
The information comes from the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKR), the county administrative boards and the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB).
