A Swiss Air-Rescue called REGA

Yet another Swiss institution is the REGA. If you grew up in Switzerland, you know the red helicopters that save injured skiers off the slopes are the trusted REGA helpers.

Rega comes to the aid of people in distress, providing swift, professional medical assistance by air. In order to do this, it employs state-of-the-art operating resources, such as helicopters and air-ambulances. Rega’s workforce comprises qualified, experienced staff. Rega acts according to medical necessity and in the service of its patients. In 2011, Swiss Air-Rescue performed a total of 14,240 missions – never before has it been in such great demand by the Swiss population.

What today functions in Switzerland almost as a matter of course has gradually developed over a period of decades. The history of Rega is an eventful one. While in earlier times, the only way to rescue people in distress in the mountains was overland, already in 1946 aircraft started being used for this purpose. Just a few years later, the increasingly popular helicopter took over this task, and as from 1960, Swiss Air Rescue also began to transport seriously ill or injured persons back to Switzerland from countries abroad – by plane. The pioneers of the day shaped this age of development in the sphere of air rescue.

The ever growing magnitude and professionalism in the field of air rescue resulted in new organisational forms: what began as a section of the Schweizerische Lebensrettungsgesellschaft rescue association became an association, and finally assumed its present-day form as a privately-run, non-profit foundation.

It is a privately run, non-profit foundation, which operates independently of the State or of financial interests.

The Swiss Air Rescue was founded on 27 April 1952. 60 years later, the performance of Rega are more in demand than ever. Rega is on stand-by 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, ready to respond to emergency calls – both in Switzerland and abroad.

Download their app onto your mobile phone here or watch them for yourself. Rega invites you to join it in celebrating its 60th anniversary. In this jubilee year, you can look forward to their Open Days, during which you will be able to experience Rega at close quarters. Programme here.