Räddningssamverkan R10 strengthens public safety in northern Sweden

When the rescue services in one of Sweden’s most remote and sparsely populated regions needed to coordinate their resources and communications, they turned to AddSecure for support. The outcome was a powerful joint solution that connects ten municipalities and enhances emergency preparedness across the entire region.

Customer: Räddningssamverkan R10
Background: Need for a joint solution for emergency response in ten sparsely populated municipalities in Sweden’s northern inland
Need: Coordination between 18 fire stations and 6 fire brigades, technical redundancy, and rapid information transfer in the event of rescue operations
Solution: A comprehensive solution that connects stations, alarms, and communications
Result: A unified, reliable alarm solution serving an area larger than many European countries

About Räddningssamverkan (rescue cooperation) R10

Räddningssamverkan R10 (RSR10) is a collaboration between rescue services across ten municipalities in northern Sweden: Arjeplog, Avidsjaur, Dorotea, Lycksele, Malå, Norsjö, Sorsele, Storuman, Vilhelmina, and Åsele. The area spans from the mountainous regions near the Norwegian border to municipalities in Norsjö, not far from the Gulf of Bothnia, and is larger than Denmark in terms of size. Around 50,000 people live here, scattered across one of the country’s most sparsely populated regions.

Requirement for reliable communications across municipal boundaries

Conny Sandström, Head of Rescue Services in Åsele and coordinator for RSR10, explains that joint alarm systems were already in place within the collaboration, but that the ten municipalities were using three different systems.

When the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskap), introduced new recommendations in 2020 to strengthen coordination between municipalities and regions, it became clear that RSR10 needed to further develop its already close cooperation. To enhance preparedness and streamline operations, the decision was made to build a common technical solution, in close collaboration with AddSecure.

“We saw that we could build on the solution that was already working in our part of the county,” says Conny Sandström. “There was a strong technical foundation and trust in the system, and AddSecure became a natural partner to extend it across the entire area.”

Collaboration with AddSecure: A unified alarm and connectivity solution

The collaboration with AddSecure includes several key components: TeleCall for alarm dispatch, the IoT connectivity platform Link for connecting stations and personal alarms, and a dedicated server solution hosted in AddSecure’s secure data centre in Gothenburg.

Today, 18 fire stations and 6 fire brigades are connected to the shared solution, with over 300 people involved in the operation. Staff carry pagers activated via AddSecure’s TeleCall platform, enabling alarms to be sent centrally and instantly reach the right departments, regardless of municipal boundaries or time of day.

“We’ve gone from several different systems to a single, unified solution. That’s a real strength, especially when something needs to be handled quickly,” says Conny.

More than rescue services

TeleCall is used not only for fires and emergencies. Municipal operational alarms, for example, from pumping stations, waterworks, or schools, are also integrated. This gives municipalities better control, lower costs, and the ability to act quickly even in the event of technical incidents.

“We now have full control over our alarms,” says Conny. “We no longer need to purchase external services to handle operational alarms, which saves both time and resources.”

Several municipalities have also begun offering alarm services to external organisations, such as the Church of Sweden (Svenska kyrkan),  clear proof of the solution’s flexibility.

A solution that creates opportunities

The TeleCall, IoT connectivity platform, Link and dedicated server setup ensures the solution is accessible, scalable, and protected, even in times of crisis. All data traffic runs through a private, cloud-based VPN, guaranteeing stable connectivity and high redundancy.

“When it works, it works for everyone,” says Conny. “That creates real security. And if a problem arises, there’s always someone in the network who can help.”

A joint solution for the entire region

For Conny and his colleagues at RSR10, the solution from AddSecure is more than just technology. It is a prerequisite for modern rescue services in rural areas.

“We have an area larger than some European countries, but with very few inhabitants,” he says. “So, we must work smart, together. This solution makes it possible.”

Now the entire region is ready to act quickly and in a coordinated manner, whether it’s a forest fire, a water pressure drop, or a personal alarm. This makes the community safer for everyone who lives and works in northern Sweden

“We have a more powerful solution by using the same system across the entire region. This gives us the confidence of knowing that everything is connected and that we have full control, no matter where we are in the area.”