Forest fires, or wildfires, are expected to increase due to warmer and drier summerscaused by climate change. When the forest is on fire, all forest owners are by lawresponsible to assist the fire and rescue services. Hence, the aim of this study wasto describe private forest owners’ experiences of forest fires on their property. Indepthinterviews were conducted and analyzed by using qualitative content analysisto describe 20 private forest owners’ experiences of forest fires. The result mergedin the overarching theme: “Powerlessness in fighting the forest fire alleviates bytogetherness in a desire to help and to be helped”. Meaning, a forest fire is a disasterboth in economical and emotional terms, causing destruction to the forest thathas been in the private forest owners’ care for generations. The forest owner feelsresponsibility and expresses an unquestionable will to act. The invaluable supportfrom the local community helps the forest owner to manage this difficult. However,the forest owner expects to be allowed to contribute, therefore, the fire and rescueservices need a proactive plan that involves private forest owners to ensure a safework environment for all involved. In addition, the strong and differentiated networkof family and neighbors that mobilize brings strength and local knowledgeimportant to the operation. Though worrying of new forest fires will remain, it isa burden that needs to be taken seriously. A positive outcome is that through collaboration,security and resilience enhances in the local community.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences and actions of part-time firefighters’ family members in rural areas in Sweden.Design The study had an inductive descriptive design and used the critical incident technique.Setting Rural areas, primarily served by a part-time fire station, across Sweden.Participants The study included 25 participants (21 females and 4 males) with experiences of being a family member of a part-time firefighter. Family members who themselves served as firefighters were excluded.Results Being a part-time firefighter’s family member was described into three main areas of experiences: ‘affecting everyday life’, ‘dealing with uncertainty’ and ‘being in this together’. Actions taken were divided into two main areas: ‘pursuing adaptations’ and ‘alleviating difficulties’.Conclusions Family members of part-time firefighters faced increased responsibility at home, managing personal inconvenience and frustration. They offered emotional support for the firefighter, however, expressing a need for guidance on handling firefighters’ emotions and mental health after call-outs. Despite their crucial role, they often felt unrecognised by the fire and rescue service. Nonetheless, they took pride in their firefighter’s contribution to the community and noted positive impacts on the family.

Forest fires, i.e., wildfires, often cause an inevitable strain on society and human living conditions. Incident Commanders (IC) at the Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) are challenged to handle forest fires and at the same time address the forest owners’ needs; this stipulates a need for collaboration, information, and communication. Hence, the aim of this study was to explore and describe the ICs’ experiences and actions in their interactions with forest owners during forest fires on private property. Interviews were conducted and analyzed using Flanagan’s Critical Incident Technique (CIT) to describe the experiences and actions of 22 ICs. The results showed that a firefighting operation needs clarity in information exchange with the forest owner as a stakeholder, not a victim. The trust between forest owner and IC accelerated the operational phase. The ICs demonstrate more care than the law stipulates, and they worry about the forest owners. Therefore, the FRS needs to form a strategic partnership with forest owners and their network on a local level. Also, future forest fire drills should not only include emergency stakeholders (i.e., police, ambulance, etc.) but also forest owners and local volunteer organizations. For a resilient community, FRS and forest owner collaboration is vital.

Aim: To increase survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA), great efforts are made to improve the number of voluntary first responders (VFR). However, evidence of the potential utility of such efforts is sparse, especially in rural areas. Therefore, the aim was to describe and compare response times for emergency medical services (EMS), fire and rescue services (FRS), and VFR during OHCA in relation to population density.

Methods: This observational and comparative study was based on data including positions and time stamps for VFR and response times for EMS and FRS in a region in southern Sweden.ResultsIn total, 285 OHCAs between 1 July 2020 and 31 December 2021 were analysed. VFR had the shortest median response time in comparison to EMS and FRS in all studied population densities. The overall median (Q1–Q3) time gain for VFR was 03:07 (01:39–05:41) minutes. A small proportion (19.2%) of alerted VFR accepted the assignments. This is most problematic in rural and sub-rural areas, where there were low numbers of alerted VFR. Also, FRS had shorter response time than EMS in all studied population densities except in urban areas.

Conclusion: The differences found in median response times between rural and urban areas are worrisome from an equality perspective. More focus should be placed on recruiting VFR, especially in rural areas since VFR can potentially contribute to saving more lives. Also, since FRS has a shorter response time than EMS in rural, sub-rural, and sub-urban areas, FRS should be dispatched more frequently.

Background: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a leading cause of death, and survival outcomes vary across countries and regions. To improve survival, the European Resuscitation Council Guidelines encourage the implementation of technologies like smartphone applications to alert voluntary first responders (VFRs) who are near a suspected OHCA. VFRs are of great importance in the ´chain of survival´, but there is still a lack of knowledge about their experiences; especially of those operating in rural areas. Understanding those experiences is crucial in developing appropriate interventions to train, encourage, and safeguard VFRs in their mission. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe VFRs´ experiences of being dispatched to suspected OHCA in rural areas.

Methods: The study used an inductive design. The data were collected using individual interviews with 16 VFRs and analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Results: The results are presented in terms of six generic categories ‘‘Being motivated and prepared’’, ‘‘Having strategies to undertake the mission’’, ‘‘Collaborating with others’’, ‘‘Being ethically aware’’, ‘‘Supporting the family members’’, and ‘‘Coping with the mission’’, which formed the basis of the main category ‘Desire to save lives and help others’. The findings showed that VFRs had a genuine desire to contribute to save lives in this rural area. Regardless of the circumstances, they were prepared to leave everything and act to the best for the victim and their family members. In theirs’ missions they collaborated with others at the scene and were guided by ethics while they acted in complex circumstances.

Conclusions: VFRs dispatched in rural areas express a desire to save lives. In their missions, they acted in complex situations and experienced both emotional and ethical challenges.

The design, implementation, and evaluation of support interventions directed at VFRs should be prioritised, especially in rural areas, as it can contribute to more people becoming and remaining VFRs, which in turn could contribute to sustainable development.

The main employers of part-time firefighters are important partners for the fire and rescue services (FRSs) in rural areas of Sweden. The purpose of this study was to identify the pivotal factors that influence the ability of main employers in rural Sweden to have employees who are part-time firefighters. A modified version of the Delphi technique was used, where opinions from a group of main employers were collected to find consensus. The Delphi technique is characterised by a number of rounds in which questionnaires are used until consensus is reached. This study identified 20 pivotal factors among the main employers. On one hand, employing part-time firefighters brought a sense of safety at the workplace but, on the other hand, there was a lack of appreciation and dialogue from the FRSss. 

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to describe experiences of working as a paid part-time firefighter (PTF) in Swedish rural areas.Design/methodology/approachAn inductive explorative design was used, based on interviews with 18 paid PTFs in Sweden. Data were analyzed using qualitative latent content analysis.

Findings

Three themes emerged from the interviews and describe paid PTFs’ experiences. The findings provide insights into how firefighters share a strong commitment, how support plays a crucial role, and how training and call-outs contribute to their experiences. Paid PTFs’ experiences are nuanced, ranging from personal limitations and challenges to satisfaction and the contrast with ordinary life.

Practical implications

The implications for fire and rescue service organizations are that they can encourage firefighters’ commitment and pride, as well as the commitment and support of their families and main employers. Further, highlighting the importance of support and facilitating flexibility when on call is crucial. Finally, acknowledging and promoting personal development and facilitating an inclusive culture are important factors for both motivation and satisfaction.

Originality/value

Paid PTFs are under-represented in the literature, despite the reliance on them in Sweden, and this study begins to address the knowledge gap. To improve retention, it is vital to understand paid PTFs work situation: what motivates them, what barriers they face, and how those challenges influence their experiences.

In the continual desire to reduce the environmental footprints of human activities, research efforts to provide cleaner energy is increasingly becoming vital. The effect of climate change on present and future existence, sustainable processes, and utilizations of renewable resources have been active topics within international discourse. In order to reduce the greenhouse gases emissions from traditional materials and processes, there has been a shift to more environmental friendly alternatives. The conversion of biomass to bioenergy, including biofuels has been considered to contribute to the future of climate change mitigation, although there are concerns about carbon balance from forest utilization. Bioenergy accounts for more than one-third of all energy used in Sweden and biomass has provided about 60% of the fuel for district heating. Apart from heat and electricity supply, the transport sector, with about 30% of global energy use, has a significant role in a sustainable bioenergy system. This review presents the state of the art in the Swedish bioenergy sector based on literature and Swedish Energy Agency’s current statistics. The review also discusses the overall bioenergy production and utilization in different sectors in Sweden. The current potential, challenges, and environmental considerations of bioenergy production are also discussed

Vi lever i en tid där trygghet står högt på agendan, men vilka frågor som upplevs viktiga skiljer stort mellan stad och land. Tanken är att genom forskning synliggöra rådande förut-sättningar och samtidigt utveckla och sprida kunskap om hur organisationen kring frivillig-resurser kan utvecklas för att vara räddningstjänst och ambulans behjälplig vid stora och små krissituationer på landsbygden.