|
| |
| |
|
The St. Gallen base flies a wide range of both primary and secondary
missions. Besides attending to road accident victims and rescuing
skiers, hikers and mountain-climbers, the Eastern-Swiss Rega crew
are frequently called out to transfer patients, often newborn infants,
from one hospital to another. |
| |
| Missions beyond the Swiss borders |
| |
| The base’s operational area covers the cantons
of St. Gallen, Thurgau and Appenzell, as well as the Principality
of Liechtenstein. It extends from Kreuzlingen to the Rhine Valley,
and from Lake Constance to the Churfirsten mountain range. That
is the equivalent of some seven minutes flying time from St. Gallen.
The national borders, too, represent no obstacle for the St. Gallen
helicopter when it is called out by the Constance rescue services
or the rescue and fire services in Feldkirch to assist with rescue
missions in neighbouring countries (Vorarlberg). |
| |
| |
| History of the St. Gallen base |
| |
| Rega’s air-rescue operations in Eastern Switzerland
date back to 2 April 1981. The Alouette III with the registration
number HB-XHZ was flown from Zurich to St. Gallen, where it was
initially stationed at St. Gallen Children’s Hospital. During
the winter months, the helicopter found shelter under a motorway
bridge. |
| |
| After numerous obstacles had finally
been surmounted, the Rega crew were able to move into their new
base in Winkeln, near Gossau, on 22 December 1984. The official
inauguration ceremony was held on 8 June 1985. |
| |
| In 1989, the HB-XHZ machine was replaced by HB-XOO,
an Alouette III. The next change in helicopter type took place
in June 1994, when the crew received a high-performance Agusta
A 109 K2. On 19 January 2002, the St. Gallen base flew its 10,000th
mission. |
| |
| |