Regional civil contingencies

The project´s aim is to contribute to knowledge about peace time crisis managements of Government authorities at a regional level (county administrative boards). The basis has been the handling of severe floods in Western Sweden in the winter 2000-01. These floods could be handled within the society´s existing framework. A scenario was used to illuminate the legal frame for crisis management and to explore how authorities and hydroelectric companies would handle an aggravated situation. The scenario severely aggravates the floods of 2000-01 through continued precipation. Controlling the resulting flood was perceived as very difficult. This increases the importance of clear economic and legal frameworks for successful crisis management. The general nature of the wording in relevant legal statutes impedes accountability. But it does not necessarily hamper society´s crisis management capability since the authorities are pragmatic and have a good basic capability. Unclear economic responsibility can increase to hesitation to take timely measures. To clarify the legal framework would improve its guiding value and would add to the abilities of authorities concerned. Financing measures more flexibly, in both normal and crisis conditions would facilitate decision making. The staff of authorities must be able to coordinate other actors in crisis management. The implicationsof EU-coordination for Swedish crisis management should be studied further.