Many of Sweden's bomb shelters were built during the latter half of the 20th century and now require upgrades to be effective in emergencies. The Civil Defense Agency (Myndigheten för civilt försvar, MCF) is responsible for assessing and improving the condition of these shelters. Currently, around 2,000 out of 64,000 shelters are inspected each year, but this number will increase as the responsibility shifts to regional authorities and more funding is allocated to this initiative.

Henrik Larsson, acting head of MCF’s population protection division, states that there is a clear understanding of the most common deficiencies these shelters have. The inspections and refurbishments aim to ensure that the shelters, which collectively can accommodate over seven million people, meet the necessary safety standards. As threats from geopolitical tensions rise, the urgency to ensure adequate protection for the population has significantly increased.

Beginning next year, the pace of shelter inspections will accelerate, improving the preparedness of Swedish civil defense. Larsson highlights that while it can take decades for a shelter to be upgraded, future efforts will be more efficient to ensure that they can serve their intended purpose in case of military conflict or other crises.