Air Zermatt rescue crews in continuous operation during the festive season
117 helicopter rescues and 65 ambulance missions: The balance of Air Zermatt's rescue missions over the festive season is impressive. The rescue teams were in continuous operation between December 24, 2021 and January 3, 2022. In order to cope with the high number of rescues, Air Zermatt has up to five rescue machines in operation at the same time.
The vacation season and the beautiful weather attracted many winter sports enthusiasts to the Upper Valais ski areas over the festive season. Due to skiing accidents, the crews of Air Zermatt were called to numerous missions. Every day, several patients with moderate to severe injuries had to be flown to the Valais hospitals in Visp and Sion as well as to the intensive care hospitals in Bern and Lausanne. On New Year's Eve alone, the Air Zermatt rescue teams deployed for a total of 23 helicopter missions.
In order to ensure coverage on such days at all times, Air Zermatt can deploy up to five rescue crews at any time at its three locations. In addition to the three helicopters that are permanently on duty during the high season, Air Zermatt can call on additional rescue crews at any time. It is therefore an enormous advantage for the operations centers to always have access to a back-up system of single-engine helicopters, which are medically equipped and manned by a medical crew, in addition to the twin-engine rescue aircraft.
In addition, the two Valais air rescue companies, Air Zermatt and Air-Glaciers, work together excellently and have once again proven that they can guarantee coverage in the canton of Valais at all times during busy vacation periods.
But not only the number of missions during the holidays is impressive - in general, the past year with almost 1800 missions shows to be a mission-intensive year for the rescue teams of Air Zermatt.