Access to communication during a crisis

Listen to the radio

The Swedish public broadcaster Sveriges Radio, channel P4, is the emergency channel and continues to broadcast during crises and wars. It provides important information about the situation in your community, local weather forecasts, where to get water, where to go if you need help, or if an evacuation is underway. Listening to these radio broadcasts – even in the event of a power outage – use one of the following:

• A radio that runs on batteries.
• A radio that can be charged with solar panels.
• A radio with a winding mechanism.
• A car radio.

If you can't call 112

If you urgently need to call 112 and your phone doesn’t work, you can go to the nearest fire station and borrow an emergency phone.

Krisinformation.se gathers important information

To make it easy to find reliable and up-to-date information round the clock in the event of a serious incident, the Swedish government authorities have launched a special website: Krisinformation.se. It gathers all pertinent information from the government authorities in one place, so you don't have to keep track of which entity is responsible for what, and how to get in touch with the right one. MSB is responsible for the website.

Important local information can be found on your municipality's website and Facebook page. Also, your energy company can usually provide information regarding the expected duration of an outage.

Factual information

It is important that people trust the information that we as government authorities provide. This means that the information must be accurate and understandable so that it does not cause confusion and sow mistrust among people. Timely, reliable information in the event of accidents and crises is increasingly important. Today, government authorities are actively working to improve their ability to inform the public during major incidents.

Call the information number 113 13

113 13 is Sweden's national information number. You may call it if you want information in the event of serious accidents and crises. This might include major storms, flu outbreaks, major road accidents or floods. All the information provided via 113 13 is verified, i.e., confirmed with, for example, the municipality where the incident took place.

Call 113 13 when:

• You want information about an ongoing local crisis.
• You want to provide information about a major incident.

Communication without electricity

Municipalities are required to inform everyone living, working or staying within its boundaries in the event of a serious incident, and should be able to quickly post information on its website. However, in the event of a power outage, the task becomes more difficult. The municipality can use everything from flyers to townhall meetings and personnel to convey important information.

Write down important numbers on paper

If your mobile phone doesn't work, you won’t be able to access your contacts either. Do you know the phone numbers of relatives, schools, the municipality and the energy company? Your landline or someone else's phone might still work. Keep your most important phone numbers written down on a piece of paper and put it in the emergency preparedness kit or post it in a place known to everyone in the household.

Municipal security points in case of crisis

In some places, special security points are opened in case of a crisis. This could be in a school, gymnasium, community centre or church. There you can get information, warmth, drinking water, and food. You can also sleep over and borrow electrical outlets. The shelters are staffed by volunteers and municipal or church staff. You can find out in advance if your municipality has security points and where they are located.

Charge your electrical appliances in advance

If you hear that a storm is coming, take the opportunity to charge everything you can in advance. A power bank or other kind of extra battery for your mobile phone can be useful.

Help each other out!

Keep in touch with neighbours and relatives in whatever way you can – and ask if they need help.