Sweden issues first brochure on war and crisis preparedness since Cold War
A brochure titled If Crisis or War Comes will soon be sent out to all Swedish households. The Civil Contingencies Agency is behind the initiative – the first of its kind since the Cold War.
The aim of the pamphlet is to help Swedes become better prepared for everything from serious accidents and extreme weather to IT attacks and military conflicts. Nevertheless, Dan Eliasson, director-general of the Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), says there is “no cause for alarm”.
“We want to give support regarding how to prepare for an emergency or a crisis because it can happen, but Sweden is still a safe country to live in,” Eliasson told Radio Sweden.
Project manager Christina Andersson said her team has put considerable effort into ensuring people who do not speak fluent Swedish get the information. Her team, she said, is also aware that many newly arrived immigrants have come from countries that are already at war or in deep crisis.
“To that group we want to say that we don’t send out this brochure because of any acute danger…But people have the right to know what can happen,” Andersson said.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: NATO wants to keep the Arctic an area of low tensions, Radio Canada International
Finland: Finland, Sweden and US building three-way defence ties, YLE News
Iceland: NATO trains in anti-submarine warfare in northern waters, The Independent Barents Observer
Norway: Will NATO save important air base in Norwegian Arctic?, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: Russia’s Northern Fleet drills submarine hunt in Barents Sea, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Should Gov be able to call on Finns if Sweden attacked?, Radio Sweden
United States: Trump signs defense bill to allow more missile interceptors in Alaska, Alaska Public Media
It is just an attempt at making people more aware of everything that might happen rather than anything else. I think it is a really good initiative by them to educate the people.