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Rescue hand in hand

Rega is also called out on special missions. Here they generally work closely together with specialised partners.

  • Rescues from avalanches and glacier crevasses
  • Evacuations from cable cars, gondolas and chairlifts
  • Diving accidents
  • Search and rescue service for missing aircraft (SAR)
  • Search flights for missing persons
  • Rescues from caves 
  • Fire-fighting operations
  • Recovery of injured, trapped or dead livestock
    More about aerial transports for mountain farmers

Our operation partners

Good collaboration with our operation partners is essential for the success of a mission. Depending on the type of mission, Rega crews require the assistance of operation partners with specialised knowledge, expertise and equipment.

SAC helicopter rescue specialist guiding the rescue helicopter

The Swiss Alpine Rescue (ARS) foundation was set up by the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) and Swiss-Air Rescue Rega with the objective of coming to the aid of people who find themselves in serious difficulties in the mountains. The SAC’s helicopter rescue specialists (RSH) are deployed above all on missions in rough terrain, where they are responsible for securing the accident site to enable the emergency physician to attend to the patient without hindrance.

Course at the Swiss Institute of Emergency Medicine SIRMED

The Swiss Institute of Emergency Medicine SIRMED is a not-for-profit public company and is jointly funded by the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation SPS and Swiss Air-Rescue Rega, each of which holds 50% of the shares. SIRMED’s vision is that every person who finds themselves in an emergency situation in Switzerland is provided with the best possible emergency and acute medical care at the accident site, during transportation, and in hospital. SIRMED’s core competency lies in enabling people to deliver the best possible care to emergency patients. The company offers top-quality education programmes and training courses in the field of emergency and rescue medicine for both professionals and laypeople. It is also actively involved in developing emergency and rescue medicine, as well as the corresponding training courses, in Switzerland. Since it was founded, over 80,000 people have taken part in a SIRMED training course. 

SIRMED

Ground ambulance and Rega helicopter on a rescue mission

In the course of its missions, Rega works closely with the ambulance services. After a road accident, for example, Rega is often called out by the ambulance emergency call centre 144.

Policeman guiding the Rega rescue helicopter at the accident site

In many cases, Rega works very closely with the police – such as, for example, when carrying out search operations or dealing with diving accidents.

Police

Fire truck on a mission

Whether recovering accident victims or fighting fires, the fire brigade is an important partner for Rega. 

Swissfire

Ski piste employees together with Rega crew

Every year, more than 1,600 Rega missions are performed in response to winter sport accidents. Consequently, good cooperation with the piste rescue services is particularly important.  

Piste rescue services

On a number of missions, Rega works together with commercial helicopter firms. Such operations include rescues from avalanches or glacier crevasses, search flights and the recovery of cattle from Alpine pastures.

Swiss Helicopter Association

Helicopter from the Swiss Air Force

The Swiss Air Force comes to Rega’s aid particularly when search flights need to be carried out at night. The Air Force has at its disposal helicopters that are equipped with state-of-the-art thermal imaging cameras.

Swiss Air Force

Specialists from Speleo-Secours during a cave rescue

The rescuers from the Swiss cave rescue association, Speleo-Secours Switzerland, are called out via the Rega Operations Centre. Cave rescues are particularly difficult and dangerous, and require highly-trained specialists.

Speleo-Secours Switzerland

Logo of the Swiss Rescue Chain

Rega also belongs to the Swiss Rescue Chain, which provides emergency aid in disaster areas abroad. Here Rega’s role is to organise and coordinate the transport of the reconnaissance team to the disaster area, and its Operations Centre and aircraft are also available to undertake further tasks. The Rescue Chain helps, among other things, in countries that have suffered severe earthquakes. It can be ready for takeoff within 8–12 hours of the deployment decision being made and can operate autonomously for up to ten days. 

Contact for operation partners

Are you a Rega operation partner and have a specific request or are interested in a training course on how to work together with a rescue helicopter?

Contact for operation partners

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