Supporting the civil defence
Civil defence is a matter of the resilience of society as a whole to the threat of war and war itself. Its purpose is to protect the civilian population by, for example, ensuring that emergency services and transport function regardless of the situation. The civil defence also needs to support the Swedish Armed Forces during heightened states of alert and wartime.
The Government defines the objective of Swedish civil defence as being to:
- safeguard the most essential public services;
- contribute to the military defence’s capability within the framework of NATO’s collective defence and other duties;
- protect the civilian population; and
- maintain Sweden’s will to defend itself and society’s resilience to external pressure.
The Swedish Coast Guard’s primary contribution to civil defence is to maintain a constant presence at sea and to carry out the many assignments that fall within our regular area of responsibility, including as a rescue service and maritime surveillance.
The Swedish Coast Guard also participates in planning in three of Sweden’s twelve preparedness sectors: emergency services and protection of civilians, public order and security, and transport.