Published: 2016-03-14

Emergency responders doubt capability to handle terrorist attacks

NEWS Many responders among the Swedish emergency organisations doubt their capability to handle a terrorist attack. The perception of preparedness among these occupations can be improved through education and personal protective equipment. This according to a new dissertation at Umeå University, which emphasizes that proactive preparations for large-scale attacks are important investments in preparedness.

Annelie Holgersson, doctoral student at the Centre for Disaster Medicine (KcKM) at Umeå University, has investigated preparedness for attacks, specifically mass-casualty attacks or other events of antagonistic origin. In several studies, Annelie Holgersson has investigated the self-assessed preparedness in Swedish emergency organisations in handling the consequences, i.e. casualties and injuries, of a mass-casualty attack aimed at public transportation.

“The results do not suggest that the actual preparedness and the potential handling in the case of an attack would be deficient. Nevertheless, many representatives of the Swedish emergency organisations perceive a lack in necessary knowledge and resources to handle and reduce the direct consequences of an attack,” says Annelie Holgersson.

The dissertation is partly based on a questionnaire (with a total of 864 respondents) that was sent to operational personnel of the Swedish emergency organisations: Swedish police, rescue services and ambulance personnel. The results show that:

Approximately two thirds expressed a willingness to respond to chemical, biological, radiological and explosive events, and the inclination differed depending on organisation and type of event.
Only 35 per cent deemed themselves knowledgeable enough in the tasks that the emergency organisations are expected to carry out at the scene of an attack, and the lowest proportion was found among the police.
Only 31 per cent considered that the own organisation had a high capability to handle an attack, and the lowest proportion was found among the Police.

The study also showed that the perception of preparedness among emergency personnel differed depending on gender, work experience, organisation, various forms of education and access to personal protective equipment.

*Annelie Holgersson (Foto: Mattias Pettersson)*

“On a more positive note, factors that could be influenced, such as education and personal protective equipment, improve the responders’ perception of preparedness. This suggests that such proactive investments create better conditions for an efficient response,” says Annelie Holgersson.

Annelie Holgersson comes from Stockholm. She has a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies with specialisation in crisis management and peacebuilding at Umeå University. She is a doctoral student at the Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences.

Read a digital publication of the dissertation

About the public defence of the dissertation:

On Friday 18 March, Annelie Holgersson, Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences, Unit for Surgery, defends her dissertation titled: Preparedness for mass-casualty attacks on public transportation. Opponent: Associate Professor Per Örtenwall, Department of Surgery, Sahlgrenska Academy and Försvarsmedicincentrum, Gothenburg. Main supervisor: Professor Ulf Björnstig, Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences.
The public defence of the dissertation takes place at 13:00 in Hall D, Unod T, 9th floor of the University Hospital of Umeå.

For more information, please contact:

Annelie Holgersson, Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences, Centre for Disaster Medicine (KcKM) at the Unit for Surgery.Phone: +46 70 217 1695
Email: annelie.holgersson@umu.se
Portrait photo for download

Editor: Anna Lawrence