Drone defibrillators and SD enters Södertälje board

Region Stockholm is now sending defibrillators by drone to accident sites, and 2.4 million Swedes need a new passport in 2027. In Södertälje, SD is joining the municipal executive board for the first time.

Ambulance drones with defibrillators in the county

Region Stockholm has begun using ambulance drones that can fly defibrillators to accident scenes. Region Stockholm is the regional political level in the county. The first drone is already in use and is based in Farsta. It has a maximum range of 7500 metres and flies at up to 80 kilometres per hour.

So far, the drone has been used on 6 occasions: 2 deployments to assist with defibrillators and 4 to take photos and provide a situation report to the rescue services. The images may be from traffic accidents or fires and are used to determine how many resources are needed. SVT Nyheter Stockholm

2.4 million need a new passport in 2027

2.4 million Swedes will need a new passport as their current ones expire during 2027. That is around half a million more than in a normal year. The police urge everyone planning to travel to apply in good time to avoid a new passport rush.

When travel picked up again in 2022 after the pandemic, a very large number of Swedes applied for passports at roughly the same time. Nynäshamns Posten

SD to join the Södertälje municipal government for the first time

The Sweden Democrats (SD) will join the government in around 60 municipalities across the country – almost twice as many as during the previous term – despite the party losing voter support in over 200 municipalities. In Stockholm County, it is already clear that SD will participate in and govern in 6 municipalities, compared with 1 during the previous term. A municipality is the local level responsible for areas such as schools and elderly care.

In Södertälje, SD will become the second-largest party in the new majority, alongside the Moderates, Christian Democrats, Liberals and Realist Party. The party will get 2 municipal councillor positions; municipal councillors are politicians who lead the municipality's work. The party will also gain a seat in the government in the neighbouring municipalities of Nykvarn and Salem. Among other things, the party wants to support activities that safeguard Swedish cultural heritage, introduce mother-tongue instruction in preschools, and appoint a reintegration officer. It also wants to steer new construction towards small houses and create meeting places for young people interested in cars. SVT Nyheter Södertälje

400 turquoise electric taxis roll into Stockholm

2 500 taxis from the electric vehicle manufacturer Vinfast are being introduced in Sweden. There are 400 in Stockholm. The company behind the taxi service is Green SM, which currently has permission to operate 2 500 cars across Sweden. Stockholm is just the first stop – Göteborg and Malmö are next.

The cars have sparked reactions in the industry, with the new company offering prices below the price levels of other taxi companies in Stockholm. SVT Nyheter Stockholm

Norrtälje broke the streak after 7 consecutive defeats

It had been a difficult period with 7 consecutive defeats for Norrtälje in Division 1 Norra. But at home against Kalix, the difficult streak was broken. The match ended 5–2 (3–0, 1–1, 1–1) at Roslagens Sparbank Arena. Norrtelje Tidning

Sergels torg – from drug hub to meeting place

Just 1 year after Sergels torg opened in 1967, the documentary film ”Dom kallar oss mods” turned the site into a symbol of Stockholm’s drug problems. ”Plattan” has since had a 50-year history of drug dealing, violent crime and insecurity.

But in the past 10 years, Sergels torg has changed. According to the City of Stockholm’s security survey, which is compiled every 3 years, the Klarakvarteren area no longer stands out in Norrmalm. The percentage of residents who view open drug dealing as a major problem has fallen from 47 to 17 percent since 2017. SVT Nyheter Stockholm

In brief

• The construction of the new metro in Stockholm has led to hundreds of damage compensation claims totalling just over SEK 1 billion from businesses and property owners, but so far only 23 cases have been approved and only SEK 1 million has been paid out. DN Stockholm
• Nynäshamn drops 27 places in the Swedish Small Business Federation’s ranking and ends up 233rd out of 290 municipalities. Nynäshamns Posten
• Nynäshamn has won 4 matches in a row in division 4 Stockholm södra herr in indoor football after a 6–5 (1–1, 4–0, 1–4) home match against Norsborgs IF at Kvarnängshallen. Nynäshamns Posten
• The Swedish Armed Forces is conducting the submarine hunting exercise Dynamic Merlin together with allied forces in the Baltic Sea in November, with Sweden as host. Nynäshamns Posten
• From 1 December, winter tyres must be fitted, according to the Swedish Transport Agency. Norrtelje Tidning
• Norrtälje hälsocenter will immediately stop offering thermography examinations and is ending its collaboration with the Stockholm company Biomix hälso AB following Norrtelje Tidning’s investigation. Norrtelje Tidning
• 5 cars were involved in a pile-up on the E4 at Kungens Kurva shortly before 14:00 on Saturday; according to the emergency services, no one is believed to have been seriously injured, and traffic began flowing again around 15:00. SVT Nyheter Stockholm