The goal is that sometime in the early 2030s we will have doubled the municipal rescue service to 32,000 people, says Henrik Larsson, operations manager at the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB).
When prospective instructors in Skåne's rescue service train, a dystopian atmosphere prevails in the cold, harsh environment at the training area in Helsingborg.
“A twilight situation”
The firefighters are given the scenario outlined by the instructor, Christoffer Persson, development manager at the Swedish Rescue Service:
The premise is that Sweden is in a twilight state. It is neither peace nor war, but there have been a number of sabotage attacks against society. We are not invaded, so there are no hostile ground forces, but there are smaller sabotage groups.
Now an alarm is raised about smoke coming from a freight car with sulfuric acid. The exercise participants stop a short distance away, study the freight car with binoculars, and discover a bomb.
In peacetime, the police bomb squad is responsible for handling explosive objects. During times of heightened alert or war, it is the emergency services.
Civilian service required
This will be a task for those doing civilian service, explains Henrik Larsson.
This concerns people who have previously worked in the emergency services and will receive further training, as well as young people who, instead of military service, are allowed to do civilian service as firefighters.
It's not something you choose, it's a duty. But Henrik Larsson doesn't think there will be any problems with acceptance:
I can imagine that many young people want to contribute to society, but not necessarily with weapons in hand.
The firefighters we meet in Helsingborg will become instructors for their colleagues. Here they are trained in how to operate in environments with mines and unexploded ordnance. Later, they will practice searching for and rescuing people in rubble and how to respond after an attack with chemical or nuclear weapons.
“Ukrainian capability superior”
Are we at the level we need to be? No, we are not. This training effort, which has been going on for three years, is an effort to achieve what is referred to as a basic skill, says Christoffer Persson.
He has recently been to Ukraine.
If you look at Ukraine's capabilities, they are clearly superior to ours. They have been at war for almost four years and in those years they have developed a lot.
Instructor David Wedelsbäck was on the same trip and he is deeply impressed by his colleagues.
They are some fucking fighters. They are tough guys and women on every level. It's not a fun situation they're in.
Cecilia Klintö/TT
Facts: How the rescue service will be doubled
TT
Today, there are approximately 6,000 full-time firefighters and 10,000 part-time employees.
In the long term, they will be supplemented by 16,000 civilian service personnel.
In the coming years, full-time employees in the emergency services will receive basic training to be able to operate during times of heightened alert or war.
Approximately 3,000 people who already have expertise in rescue tasks but no longer work in the rescue services will receive supplementary training as part of their civilian duty so they can be called in during times of heightened alert or war.
Starting with the cohort born in 2008, young people will be eligible to be selected for civilian service in the rescue services at the muster. They will receive at least 60 days of basic training.
Source: Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency
