Open days at the Rega Center
On April 25, 2018, Rega received an award in the "Outstanding Rescue Service" category at the European Emergency Association EENA 112 awards ceremony. On May 26 & 27, you can take a look behind the scenes at the Open Days.
The jury singled out in particular the work of Rega's heads of operations and their central role in coordinating rescue missions. Sascha Hardegger, Head of Helicopter Operations at Rega: "It is Rega's task to provide medical assistance from the air to people in need. We are delighted to receive this award, which confirms our commitment to our daily work."
Switzerland-wide coordination of Rega helicopter missions
Unlike ground-based rescue services, air rescue knows no cantonal borders. With twelve helicopter bases spread throughout Switzerland and a partner base in Geneva, Rega ensures basic medical care in Switzerland from the air. For the demanding coordination of rescue helicopters throughout Switzerland, Rega operates a Helicopter Operations Center at Zurich Airport and its own alarm number 1414.
Active support of the crew in the field
The coordination of helicopter missions is a demanding and complex task: because it is not only a matter of providing the next suitable rescue helicopter, but also of permanently actively accompanying the helicopter crew during the mission. The mission command is in constant contact with the crew and the partner organizations involved: For example, for the exchange of information about other aviation participants, local weather conditions or patient registration at the target hospital - and in all national languages. Also with Major events Rega's Operations Centre assumes an important hub function and coordinates the missions of the aviation participants involved. In addition to the missions of the Rega helicopters, the operations managers also organise the missions of the Mountain rescuers of the Swiss Alpine Club SAC as well as the transport of dead or injured cattle for the benefit of mountain agriculture.
Operations manager jet organize repatriations
At the operations center at Zurich Airport, in addition to the Helicopter operations in Switzerland also organises the worldwide missions of Rega's three ambulance jets. Day and night, the Jet Operations Managers answer calls from patients who have fallen ill or suffered an accident abroad via the international alarm number +41 333 333. They act as the link between Rega's consultant physicians and the patients and their relatives. Based on the medical decision of the consulting physician, they organize the repatriation. In the process, the operations managers are in close contact with the various crew members, airlines, insurance companies and many other agencies.
15,958 organized missions in 2017
In 2017, Rega's Operations Centre organized 15,958 missions (+5.7 %). 11,774 missions with helicopters (+6.5 %) and 886 missions with Rega's own ambulance jets (+3.3 %) were organized by the Operations Centre. In the process, Rega crews attended to an average of 29 patients per day, with a total of 10,788 patients (+7.1 %).
Open days
On Saturday and Sunday, 26 and 27 May 2018, the time has come again: for the first time since its big anniversary event six years ago, Rega will be opening the doors of the Rega Center at Zurich Airport to the general public. Staff from a wide range of departments will be on hand to give you an insight into everyday life at Rega - with information about patronage, technical details about the aircraft or interesting facts about the course of a rescue mission.
