ROTORCRAFT INTERNATIONAL
BY CATERINA HESSLER PHOTOS: CATERINA HESSLER
SWISS RESCUE
The Way of The Rega (Swiss Air-Rescue) is one of the most famous rescue
institutions in all of Europe. It has affected alpine rescue in Switzerland and worldwide. With over 13,700 missions in 2010 alone, the crews of the Rega are on call 24/7. Harsh terrain and the rapidly changing weather conditions present
a threat to hikers, climbers and everyone who enjoys outdoor recreation. Often people underestimate the forces of nature and get them-
selves into trouble. In case of an emergency a short and efficient res- cue system, a highly trained rescue crew and state of the art equipment are of utmost importance. The Rega sets the benchmarks for all those key features.
A Typical Day While two young friends were climbing in the riverbed of the
Verzasca River in Switzerland, neither of them thought they were in imminent danger. A short while later the calm river was turned into a torrent due to a thunderstorm in the Alps. Both men were able to climb on a rock in the middle of the water but could not return to the river- bank. A buddy discovered them in their hopeless situation and called the emergency service. Within minutes after the alert, a red and white helicopter, belonging to the famous Rega, arrived on scene. In cooper- ation with specialists of the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC), the crew was able to rescue the stranded men by hoist.
A Historical View Rega was founded in 1952. Since, they have had a remarkable
influence on mountain rescue. The first rescue missions were performed by parachutists who received their training and qualifications in the Royal Air Force of Great Britain. In December 1952, pilot Sepp Bauer successfully rescued a man with his Hiller 360. He fastened a regular balloon basket underneath the helicopter to get the injured person out
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