Rega (air rescue)
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The Swiss Air-Rescue (Deutsch: Schweizerische Rettungsflugwacht, French: Garde aérienne suisse de sauvetage, REGA) is the air rescue service which provides emergency medical assistance in Switzerland and Lichtenstein,[1][2] notably in mountains but also in cases of life-threatening emergencies elsewhere. They will also return a patron to Switzerland from a foreign country if they are in need of urgent medical care. Rega was established on 27 April 1952 by Dr Rudolf Bucher, who thought that the Swiss rescue organisation needed a specialised air sub-section.
The REGA is a non-profit foundation financed through donations and patronage. Rega maintains twelve own helicopter bases throughout Switzerland and cooperates with one additional partner base. Its operations centre is located at the Zurich-Kloten airport where all rescue missions are co-ordinated. All of the Rega helicopters carry a medic as well as a paramedic/EMT. Rega also aids alpine farmers during the summer months; they will rescue livestock, as well as retrieving dead animals.
Name
The name is an unusual trilingual abbreviation from "Schweizerische Rettungsflugwacht - Garde Aérienne Suisse de Sauvetage- Guardia Aerea Svizzera di salvataggio", all three meaning "Swiss aerial rescue guard", in German, French and Italian respectively.
Fleet
Bases
- HQ / Rega-Center at Zurich Airport LSZH
- Dübendorf LSMD AFB (Rega 1)
- Basel LFSB(Rega 2)
- Bern LSZB (Rega 3)
- Lausanne LSGL(Rega 4)
- Untervaz LSXU (Rega 5)
- Locarno LSMO AFB (Rega 6)
- St. Gallen (Rega 7)
- Erstfeld LSXE( Rega 8)
- Samedan LSZS (Rega 9)
- Wilderswil/Interlaken LSXI (Rega 10)
- Mollis LSMF (Rega 12)
- Zweisimmen (Rega 14)
- Genf LSGG (Rega 15)
Partners
The Rega has, in addition to the emergency services police, fire and ambulance, with which REGA works together some more organizations. It consists in the rescue by road accidents it work with the Touring Club Suisse TCS. For alpine rescue and recovery operations, the REGA is working closely with the Swiss Alpine Club SAC. For big search and rescue operations the REGA can request in need of more Helicopter the FOCA and the SUST (formerly Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau . REGA is a special partner of the Swiss Air Force, this supports the REGA if necessary with helicopters and personnel. For search and rescue flights in difficult conditions, the Air Force always has a with FLIR equipped helicopter (usually Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma or Cougar) on-call. The Air Force continually monitors the airspace and directs emergency signals immediately to the REGA, also all aircraft of the Swiss Air Force can be used for rapid and precise location of an emergency signal that then can transmitted with the exact position to the REGA helicopter at an early stage. The REGA uses, for a comprehensive radio coverage, the radio system of the Air Force that draw a larger coverage than the civil aviation radio.
References
External links
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