Rega’s Search and Rescue team is stationed at the helicopter base in Wilderswil. Here the search specialists determine the optimal means of performing a particular search mission. All search missions for missing persons are carried out on behalf of the local authorities. The search specialist narrows down the search area based on the initial information from the Operations Center and discusses the mission with the helicopter crew. Depending on the situation, the competence center for the search for missing persons decides on a visual search flight with a rescue helicopter or the deployment of the search helicopter. If poor visibility prevents a helicopter from being used, the drone is put into operation.

The search specialists are trained for the deployment of both the search helicopter and the drone. This training includes, among other things, operating the thermal imaging camera, evaluating the data delivered, learning about mobile radio technology and working with search dogs. As the interface between the various organisations, the search specialist needs to be a good communicator, who collects and evaluates all the available information in order to gain an overall picture of the mission and to narrow down the search area.