Safe Community Motala

Name of the Community: Motala
Country: Sweden
Number of inhabitants: 42,000
Programme started year: 1986/87
International Safe Communities Network Membership: Designation year: 1990, Re-designation 2004, 2011
By European Certifying Centre
Info address for the Programme: www.motala.se

Full reapplication report 2011
http://www.ki.se/csp/pdf/applicationreports/4motala_2011.pdf

For further information contact:
Johanna Haapamäki
E-mail: motala.kommun@motala.se
Phone: +46 (0)141-22 50 00

Pirjo Kovalainen
E-mail: motala.kommun@motala.se
Phone : +46 141 22 50 00

Motala Municipality
Drottninggatan 2
SE- 591 86 Motala, Sweden
Fax: +46 141 577 14

Motala has a political program for injury prevention since 1997. Local prevention work is requisite in order to realise central and regional goals and guidelines. The program expresses the municipality's engagement in injury prevention work in Motala. The main goal is to integrate accident/injury prevention work into ordinary municipal activities and that this will occur in co-operation with the various Community bodies. The Council of Motala has also accepted two other programs in this field, one is the Action Program for Injury Prevention in the County (since 2000), the other a Health Political Program for the County (since 2001).

The programme covers the following safety promotion activities:

For the age group
Children 0-14 years:

•  Child Health Care informs the parents about child safety for and provides follows up for the children up to age of six.

•  Radiology at the hospital gives special information of non-violence and protection for children 0-14 years.

•  Child safety inspections at pre-schools and of playgrounds.

•  Injury and incident registration and follow-up at pre-schools and schools.

•  Checklist for accident prevention among children.

•  Fire & Rescue Service gives lessons in fire prevention and safety for all 6-year old children. They also make visits at schools.

•  Traffic safety information at pre-schools and schools.

•  Subsidisation of bicycle helmets for 5 year old children.

•  The local helmet "law".

Youth 15-24 years:

•  Radiology at the hospital gives information of injuries and of effects of violence. Emergency ward and anaesthesia gives security information for pupils.

•  Courses in CPR is offered to pupils and teachers.

•  Program for fire prevention and safety for pupils at upper secondary school with practical alignment.

•  The crime prevention program is aimed at young people, especially risk groups.

•  Successful alcohol and drug prevention program aimed at young people.

Adults 25-64 years:

•  Information and activities concerning traffic safety.

•  Information concerning home accidents and the prevention of these.

•  Cooperation against tavern-related crime.

Elderly 65+ years:
The staff in care of the elderly in the municipality is trained to analyse risks and prevent accidents. There are routines for reporting incidents and following up injuries. An individual risk-inventory takes place at home when there is any need of help and care from the municipality. The staff is also trained in fire prevention and safety.

•  The upper secondary school in care education has a special program which focuses on safety for the elderly.

•  A special safety bag is used for information by the municipality staff and by several pensioner organisations.

•  Checklist for accident prevention among the elderly and at homes.

•  Seminars, lectures, exhibitions.
Injury and incident registration and follow-up.

•  Citizens over the age of 70 can get free help with various chores, for example changing curtains or light bulbs, to prevent falls.

•  Outreaching activities to citizens over the age of 80 with information about home safety and preventive health care.

At the following environments:
Home:

•  Check-up list for accident prevention.

•  10 security & safety bags are available for information use and demonstration.

•  Platen Apartment Company install fire alarm and other preventive measures in their apartments. All tenants get a handbook on home security and information around that. The Company makes the environments safer by better lighting and door locks for example.

•  Fire prevention campaigns takes place, especially before Christmastime.

•  The Fire and Rescue Service offers home visits to inventory possible risks to prevent fire and accidents in the home.

Traffic:

The municipality and other authorities responsible for the traffic safety use a common traffic safety program.

•  Several traffic safety measures take place every year, for example building of new sidewalks, bicycle roads and roundabouts.

•  Speed limit of 30 km/h at schools and in some residential streets. Speed limiting by flower boxes in residential areas.

•  Main bicycle roads have same priority as main roads for snow clearing and sanding in wintertime.

•  The pensioners has been trained to see the lack of traffic safety.

•  Helmet activities takes place every year trough information to schools, pre-schools, pensioners, organisations.

•  Campaigns about traffic safety - visible campaign in autumn with selling of bicycle lights and given away of reflectors.

Occupational:
No specific programs beyond the occupational safety by laws and statutes, employers are responsible for the work environments. Safety officers in work places get education in safety and security matters.

•  Routines for injury and incident reporting, follow-ups.

•  Routines for the first aid and support in a case of crises.

•  Fire & Rescue Service has lessons on fire prevention for companies and organisations

School :

•  Safety inspections at schools every year.

•  Courses in CPR is offered for pupils and teachers.

•  Fire prevention information and measures takes place at schools by Fire & Rescue Service and police.

Sports:

•  Knowledge about the factors that cause injuries is learning out for the sport teachers, sport clubs, trainers, parents and athletes. The sport clubs and trainers get information about emergency treatment with non-severe injuries, training methods for rehabilitation of injuries and of proper diet.

Leisure:

•  Playgrounds are inspected by authorised personal.

•  People may borrow life jackets from the Fire & Rescue Service.

•  Fire & Rescue Service inspects pubs and restaurants for fire prevention.

Other:

•  Local risk phone line.

•  A common security day at the town square with information about injury prevention and safety promotion.

•  Course for personal in pubs and restaurants in drugs, alcohol and ethics.

•  Market control of product safety of for example toys.


Violence prevention:
The Crime Prevention Council in Motala was established 1998. There is a violence prevention program and the goal is to reduce the amount of crimes and violence and increase security for peopled of all ages. The prevention is aimed at children and young people in order to prevent juvenile crime. Activities to support parents have been arranged and networks have started.

•  Many organisations co-operate in the project "Kulturskolan Europas Barn" - Cultural school for European children, arranging activities for children in social deprived areas. The project was nominated from Sweden for The European Crime Prevention Awards 2002.

•  Studies have been made at schools about the drug and alcohol use among young people and discussions about the results have been arranged for the parents and school personnel. Informing and influencing public opinion have been taking place and competitions for children in all ages on the theme "life doesn't need any drugs" have been arranged.

•  Yearly festivities for school children, such as before vacations when there are arrangements without drugs, with parents patrolling popular places for the young people.

Suicide prevention:
No specific program.

Programs aiming at "High risk-groups":

•  Exit - the Young Revenge, an assistant organization for young people who risk becoming juvenile criminals and who even wish support those who will leave neo-nazi groups, started with assist of the municipality. Exit disseminate information at schools and works with groups.

•  The Crime Prevention Council has supported young people to learn to manage conflicts. Some senior compulsory school pupils started later a Non Violence Group at a school.

•  Mediation gives young criminals and their victims an opportunity to meet and understand/ forgive.

•  Home as risk environments is the focus in a number of programs.

Surveillance of injuries:
The local hospital in Motala.
Numbers per year: app. 5,000
Population base: 85,000
Started year: 2000. The first surveillance happened in 1983 followed by 1989, 1996- 1998 (road accidents to Swedish National Road Administration)

At the schools:
Started 1996. Numbers per year: app. 90

Publications

Download the re-application report: 2004

Motala, Sweden- Reapplication to Become a Member of the International Safe Community Network

Produced information material, pamphlets:
The Injury Prevention Program.
The Crime Prevention Program.
Information folder of Motala Safe Community.
Pamphlets of the safety working groups: children, elderly, sports, traffic.
Advertising on bicycle helmets, reflectors, risk phone line.
Short video films about bicycle helmets, the local helmet "law", seatbelts, sober driving, drugs and alcohol, crime prevention.
Bookmarks with the local helmet "law".
Check-up lists for accident prevention (child, home/elderly).
Safety bags.
Video films on injury prevention.

Staff
Number: 2 part-time


Organization:
5 groups

Specific intersectoral leadership group :
Safety and security group

"International commitments:
Study visits:
1995: from England , Hungary .
1996: from France .
1997 from Thailand , Syria and Finland .
Several study visits from Sweden .

Participation in Safe Community conferences:
1991 Falköping, Sweden
1995 Forth McMurray, Canada
1996 Skövde, Sweden
1996 Linköping, Sweden
1998 Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2001 Viborg, Denmark

2010 Reykjavík , Iceland

Hosting Safe Community Conferences:
No.

Hosting "Travelling Seminars":
1991.