The purpose of this legal dogmatic Bachelor Thesis is to define the legal definition of “a rescue service” and illustrate the division of responsibilities between national authorities and the municipalities with regards to the execution of emergency response operations.
“A rescue service” means the emergency response actions that national and municipal authorities are legally obliged to provide to prevent or minimise injury to people and damage to property or the environment when emergencies occur or seem imminent. In the following cases a national authority is responsible for providing the requisite rescue service:
1. Search and rescue (air) – the Swedish Civil Aviation Authority is the responsible authority;
2. Search and rescue (maritime) the Swedish Maritime Administration is the responsible authority;
3. Maritime environmental protection – the Swedish Coast Guard is the responsible authority;
4. Mountain rescue service, – the police services in the four mountainous counties are the responsible authorities;
5. General missing persons searches – the regional police are the responsible authority; and finally
6. Emergency preparedness for nuclear energy incidents – the relevant county administrative board is the responsible authority.
The municipalities are responsible themselves or in co-operation with others for all other rescue services required within the municipality’s boundaries.
Keywords: rescue service, co-operation, emergency response, emergency, authorities