[Characteristics of emergency therapy in mountain accidents]

Abstract

In 1991 helicopters rescued over 3800 persons in the Swiss Alps, doing 600 to 700 hoist rescues. Exact statistic data is available from Swiss Air Rescue (Rega), which is responsible for two thirds of all rescues. All rescued persons were rated according to a medical (NACA O to VII) and a topographical Index (Topo A to G). Of the 2321 rescued persons (Topo D to G) were 57% skiers on slopes (Topo D). 78.5% of the remaining 972 persons were rescued from easy accessible (Topo E), 18.5% from difficult accessible (Topo F) and only 3% from extremely difficult accessible sites of accident (Topo G). Regarding those rescued, 10% were not injured, 22% showed mild injuries and 52% severe injuries. 2% suffered of a life-threatening injury and 12% were dead-body evacuations. The Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) is active in schooling alpine rescue specialists and doctors.