The war in Ukraine has shown that there is a need not only for shelters but also for other spaces where people can seek protection. The government is therefore proposing that so-called protected spaces be introduced as a new protection alternative.
It could be about large road tunnels, it could be about subway stations, just as we have seen this type of space being used in war-torn Ukraine, says Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M), Minister of Civil Defense.
They are currently not marked in any way that allows people to find them on, for example, a shelter map. We will be able to change that with this legislation.
Seven million
In Sweden, there are shelters for seven million people. Protected spaces would add another one and a half million places, mainly in areas that currently lack shelters.
Sweden stopped building shelters in 2002. This has led to white spots on the shelter map where new developments have emerged that do not have the same access to shelters as other older developments.
At the same time, the country's existing shelters are being upgraded and modernized. Bohlin is holding his press conference in the Igeldammsgaraget, the first shelter to be renovated since the government announced investments in the renovation of shelters.
The shelter, which can accommodate 1,200 people, has received new technical systems for backup power and air purification, among other things, and is expected to last 30 years.
Lack of accessibility
The shelters have been criticized for a lack of accessibility, which is not true for the Igeldammsgaraget, which is located on the ground floor.
But yes, many shelters were built in the 50s and 60s, located in basements and therefore not accessible. It is an issue that is well known and will need to be addressed simply by people helping each other in these types of situations.
There are currently approximately 64,000 shelters in Sweden with space for approximately seven million people.
A shelter must be able to withstand blast waves and shrapnel, fire, ionizing radiation and debris from demolished buildings.
A protected space must be designed and equipped to provide reasonable protection against the effects of munitions that can be assumed to be used in war.
Source: Ministry of Defense
