Table 1 Overall characteristics of the 422 avalanche accidents involving 596 victims (Rega-Swiss Air Ambulance Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS), 1.01.2001 to 31.05.2016)
Search and rescue characteristics | |
 Avalanche accidents requiring a winch operation, n (%) | 121 (29) |
 Avalanche accidents with at least one victim located by professional rescuers, n (%) a | 38 (49) |
 Avalanche accidents with at least one victim extricated from the avalanche by professional rescuers, n (%) b | 34 (31) |
Avalanche victims (n = 596) | |
 Involved persons per avalanche accident, median (IQR; range) | 1 (1–2; 0–15) |
 Injured persons per avalanche accident, median (IQR; range) | 1 (1–1; 0–7) |
 Completely buried victims per avalanche accident, median (IQR; range) c | 1 (1–1; 0–5) |
 Avalanche accidents with multiple casualties, n (%) d | 134 (32) |
 Avalanche accidents with multiple completely buried casualties, n (%) c,e | 37 (14) |
Cardio-respiratory arrest victims (n = 172) | |
 Avalanche accidents with one victim in cardiac arrest, n (%) | 121 (29) |
 Avalanche accidents with multiple victims in cardiac arrest, n (%) | 20 (5) |