How to Help People During an Avalanche in Switzerland

Quick answer: To help people during an avalanche in Switzerland, protect yourself from a second avalanche, raise the alarm immediately, identify where the missing person was last seen, and begin a trained companion rescue only when the scene is safe enough. In the Swiss mountains, call Rega on 1414 for helicopter rescue; 144 is the ambulance emergency number and 112 is a general emergency number. A buried person may have very little time. Do not enter an unstable slope or assume that a phone or a ski instructor can replace trained mountain rescuers.

A Swiss avalanche can happen above a ski tour, beside an off-piste slope, on a mountain path or near a road and settlement. The correct response depends on where the avalanche occurred, whether people are missing, secondary-avalanche danger and the available equipment and skills. Use the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF bulletin for the current forecast, and Rega’s official rescue advice for emergency contact. This article is general guidance, not a real-time avalanche bulletin or a substitute for field training.

First 10 actions if you witness an avalanche

Stay out of the slide path. Check whether the slope above is still dangerous and choose a safe location before doing anything else.
Watch and remember where people were last seen. Mark the last-seen point and direction of movement mentally or on a map if possible; don’t lose time filming.
Alert the rescue services. Call Rega 1414, medical emergency 144 or general emergency 112 as appropriate, and communicate the exact location.
State how many people are missing. Distinguish confirmed burials from people whose whereabouts are uncertain.
Assess secondary-avalanche risk. Do not enter exposed terrain blindly. Professional rescue teams need to know if debris or snow continues moving.
Begin companion rescue if trained and if safe. Use avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel according to practised techniques; a transceiver search only works if the buried person carries a transmitting unit.
Coordinate with your group. Assign someone to contact rescuers, someone to observe terrain danger and trained rescuers to locate and dig; avoid everybody starting an uncoordinated search.
Provide appropriate first aid. Once a person is reached and the environment is safe, clear access to the airway and assess breathing, follow dispatcher instructions and provide CPR if indicated and trained.
Protect exposed survivors from cold. Use spare clothing or insulation while awaiting rescue, without delaying lifesaving care or moving seriously injured people unnecessarily.
Never re-enter solely to recover equipment. Keep people clear of the path, and follow rescue and local closure instructions.

The Swiss SLF’s recommendations after avalanches explicitly warn about secondary avalanches and advise calling 117, 144, 1414 or 112 as appropriate. The Rega avalanche rescue guide explains that witnesses should record the avalanche path and last-seen location, protect themselves, alert rescue services and perform trained companion rescue.

Swiss emergency numbers: which one should you use?

1414 — Swiss Air-Rescue Rega: mountain rescue and medical helicopter emergencies in Switzerland, including avalanche incidents.
144 — Ambulance: urgent medical emergencies, including serious injury or breathing problems.
112 — General emergency: a broader emergency contact number that can connect callers to emergency help.
117 — Police: urgent police assistance, including reporting a serious incident where required.
Local piste patrol or mountain rescue: if the avalanche occurred within or near a ski area, alert the area’s official rescue service as well, if this does not delay necessary emergency dispatch.

Rega’s emergency numbers page and app instructions explain how an emergency call and location-sharing functions can help rescuers. A phone app needs sufficient connectivity and a known position, so it cannot be treated as guaranteed rescue coverage in remote terrain. If calls fail, use another safe communications route while staying clear of avalanche danger.

What to tell Rega or the emergency dispatcher

An accurate first report reduces uncertainty. State where the accident occurred (mountain, canton, route, GPS coordinates if available), what happened, how many people are believed buried or injured, the last time and place they were seen, whether the snow is still moving, the weather and visibility, the equipment available, and a callback number. Follow the dispatcher rather than hanging up to ask social media for help.

For example: “We are on the east side of [named mountain] above [village], at approximately [coordinates]. Three people were touring; one is missing after an avalanche at [time]. We last saw them near [landmark]. We have transceivers, shovels and probes. The slope above may still be unstable. My mobile number is [number].” Never invent coordinates, an altitude or a rescue estimate.

Why the first minutes are so important

Avalanche burial can quickly become fatal because a person may be unable to breathe, suffer traumatic injury or become severely cold. SLF notes that the earliest period after burial offers the best chance of a live rescue, while the success of companion rescue depends on equipment and practised skill. Call professional rescuers immediately: do not assume you can search for a long time before raising the alarm.

This urgency does not justify entering a slope that is likely to avalanche again. If the area is unsafe, keep your group out of the hazard, record the last-seen point and pass it to professionals. Helping one person must not bury the rest of the group.

What trained companion rescue involves

Avalanche transceivers, probes and shovels

Backcountry groups commonly carry an avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel. Transceivers help locate another person wearing a working device in transmit mode. A probe can pinpoint the location in the snow, and a shovel is required to excavate efficiently. But simply owning equipment does not make someone rescue-ready. SLF recommends practice and education because effective search and excavation must happen under serious time pressure.

Before a trip, group members should check transceiver function and practise using their own equipment. During a real incident, trained rescuers follow the appropriate search, probe and excavation techniques, including managing any interference from nearby electronics. People who have not trained should not improvise methods from an internet article while standing in avalanche terrain.

Why a mobile phone is not an avalanche transceiver

A smartphone can help communicate location and summon rescuers when connected, but it cannot substitute for a dedicated avalanche transceiver in a buried-person search. A transceiver cannot locate a person who never carried a transmitting device. This is one reason to prepare equipment, training and a route plan rather than assuming a phone has solved rescue readiness.

What if a buried person’s face is reached?

Once rescuers can reach the casualty safely, the priority is the airway, breathing and urgent medical assessment. Follow emergency dispatcher and relevant first-aid guidance. Avalanche victims can have traumatic injuries, hypothermia or impaired breathing. A first aider should not attempt a forceful manoeuvre beyond training, nor move someone with suspected severe injury without a compelling safety need. Professional rescue coordination remains essential even if the person regains consciousness.

Understanding Switzerland’s avalanche danger levels

The SLF uses the five-level European avalanche danger scale. It is important, but it is not a yes-or-no certificate of safety for each slope. The SLF danger-level explanation stresses that regional forecasts cannot capture every individual slope and that avalanche danger rises disproportionately with higher levels.

Level 1 — Low: generally favourable conditions, but avalanches remain possible in isolated locations; risk is not zero.
Level 2 — Moderate: certain steep slopes or aspects can still be dangerous; careful route selection is essential.
Level 3 — Considerable: critical conditions can occur on indicated terrain; unstable snow may be triggered by a person.
Level 4 — High: very critical conditions, with natural avalanches and easily triggered releases possible across many locations.
Level 5 — Very high: an exceptional situation; large natural avalanches may threaten travel routes and settlements.

The forecast also discusses elevation, slope aspect, wind slabs, persistent weak layers, wet snow and changes during the day. A lower regional level does not make a steep, wind-loaded slope automatically safe. If you are inexperienced, stay on secured routes that are officially open or join a qualified guide; do not leave a secured piste merely to help someone in an unknown avalanche area.

How to prevent a rescue emergency before the trip

Read the latest SLF regional bulletin and check its validity time before departure.
Understand the hazard description, elevation band and slope aspects—not only the large number on the map.
Choose a route appropriate for the least experienced group member and be ready to turn back.
Use trained companions and carry functioning transceivers, probes, shovels, suitable winter clothing and communications equipment when travelling off secured terrain.
Practice locating and excavating a buried person before the season.
Tell a trusted contact the route, expected return and what to do if your group does not check in.
Watch for new snow, wind loading, cracks, collapsing snow, warming and other conditions that change the hazard.
Respect piste closures, temporary road closures, local avalanche control and warnings from qualified mountain professionals.
Do not let a holiday schedule, paid booking or an appealing photograph override the danger assessment.
Know the rescue number and whether your group can communicate from its planned location.

Helping someone in an avalanche-hit village or on a road

Not every avalanche accident happens to an off-piste skier. Large natural avalanches can reach roads, buildings and settlements. In such situations the priority is to keep people out of the runout area, notify emergency authorities and avoid damaged structures. A mountain road may be closed because a second avalanche could follow. Do not go around the barriers to reach a trapped vehicle, take photographs or deliver goods.

The SLF explains emergency measures for settlements and transport routes, including the possibility of collapsing buildings and the need to alert the appropriate services. If a household is cut off by an official road closure, arrange help through the local authority or professional response team instead of attempting a shortcut across the avalanche path.

How to help injured survivors safely

Assess the scene. Do not approach a casualty if more snow is falling from the same slope or if a structure is unstable.
Call for medical help. Use 1414, 144 or 112, giving a clear location and symptoms.
Check breathing and responsiveness when the person can be reached safely; follow dispatcher’s first-aid instructions.
Protect against further cold exposure. Use insulation, spare clothing and shelter where these can be provided without delay or dangerous movement.
Avoid unnecessary handling of serious injuries. A person may have a head, neck, back or other traumatic injury.
Do not give fluids to an unconscious person or someone who cannot swallow safely.
Tell rescuers what happened. Include burial duration if known, last-seen point, recovery circumstances and observed breathing.
Keep bystanders outside the hazard area. Rescuers need safe space, access and accurate information.

Helping children, visiting skiers and people with disabilities

Families and beginners

Choose official open beginner areas and follow local piste-patrol advice. Children may not understand why a seemingly attractive slope is closed. Explain in simple terms that a rope or closure sign protects against hazards that may not be visible. Never ask a child to follow you onto an unmarked slope to rescue equipment or look for a missing adult.

Visitors unfamiliar with the Swiss Alps

A visitor might know how to ski in a resort but have little experience with off-piste avalanche terrain. Point them towards the SLF bulletin, local mountain service, qualified guide and proper equipment training. Translate a route closure or warning accurately instead of telling a holidaymaker that “level two means safe.”

People with mobility or medical needs

Ask what support they want before touching equipment, and plan accessible transport and safe accommodation when an avalanche closes roads. If someone needs medical treatment and the route is blocked, call the appropriate emergency service and describe the access limitations; do not carry them across a dangerous slope.

After the rescue: practical support for affected families

Survivors may need medical care, contact with relatives, safe accommodation, travel changes, help with insurance records or access to a counsellor. First confirm their wishes and any official restrictions. Do not publish identifying photographs of injured people, speculate about death or share unverified names. Helping might be as simple as communicating with a hospital or arranging a safe journey once the family has clear information.

In a village cut off by an avalanche, supplies, school transport and daily work may be disrupted. Ask municipal officials what road or rail closures are in force and which services are operating. A well-coordinated volunteer can help relay verified transport information, transport essential supplies by a permitted route, or check on isolated neighbours without entering a closed area.

Why self-deployment can make things worse

A caller who says “I can ski there and dig” may be sincere, but a fresh avalanche path is not a volunteer training ground. Additional avalanches, cornices, snow bridges, poor visibility and weather can endanger people who approach. Professional rescue teams coordinate search areas, equipment, helicopters and risk management. A bystander who exposes themselves unnecessarily may cause a second rescue.

If you have formal rescue training and are part of an authorised group, follow its command and safety procedures. If not, prioritise the tasks available from safety: place the call, preserve the last-seen information, note a safe access point, help keep bystanders out and support relatives. Speed matters, but so does not losing another life.

Four examples: safer decisions in Switzerland

Situation 1: A skier disappears under an avalanche beside an off-piste route

From a safe position, observe and remember the last-seen point, call 1414, give the location and number missing, and assess further avalanche danger. Trained companions with equipment may begin a coordinated rescue if the scene is acceptably safe. Untrained bystanders should not rush into the avalanche path.

Situation 2: A mountain road is blocked after heavy snowfall

Do not walk around the closure because the road looks clear. Contact the municipality, transport operator or emergency services as appropriate and ask about safe alternative arrangements. Help an isolated household by arranging a verified delivery or medical referral rather than creating a second incident.

Situation 3: Someone has fallen in snow and is not responding

Call 144 or 1414 depending on access and the need for mountain rescue. If you can reach them safely, assess breathing and follow dispatcher’s CPR or first-aid instructions. Prevent further exposure while waiting, without placing yourself in another avalanche path.

Situation 4: Your group reads a Level 2 forecast and wants a steep shortcut

Explain that Level 2 still includes avalanche-prone locations. Read the exact terrain and aspect guidance in the SLF bulletin, compare it with what you observe, and choose a safer route or turn back. Equipment does not make an exposed slope safe.

Frequently asked questions

What emergency number should I call for an avalanche in Switzerland?

1414 is Swiss Air-Rescue Rega for mountain and helicopter rescue. You can also use 144 for ambulance emergencies or 112 for general emergency help. Give the location and number of people involved.

Should I start digging for a buried person immediately?

Call rescue services without delay and assess danger from another avalanche. Trained companions with the proper equipment should begin appropriate rescue when it is safe enough. An untrained person entering unstable avalanche debris may become another casualty.

Can the Rega app locate a buried person?

The app can help send a caller’s location and contact rescue services when the required phone location and network functions operate. It is not a substitute for a dedicated avalanche transceiver to locate a person buried in snow.

Is danger Level 1 or 2 safe for off-piste skiing?

Not automatically. Regional avalanche levels are broad assessments; particular steep slopes, elevations and aspects can still be hazardous. Consult the full SLF bulletin and use trained mountain judgement.

Should I drive through a road closure to check on relatives?

No. Road closures can protect against further avalanches. Call or message them and coordinate essential assistance through the responsible local authority or emergency services.

Can I volunteer after a deadly avalanche?

Volunteer only through an established response or support organisation for tasks you are trained and authorised to perform. Avoid self-deployment into dangerous snow or damaged structures. Safe administrative and family support may still be valuable.

More eduKateSG disaster-help guides: Flash-flood assistance in Spain · Volcanic-eruption assistance in the Philippines · Heatwave assistance in India. These guides explain different hazards and countries; local official warnings always take priority.

Official Swiss resources and other disaster-help guides

Reviewed 4 November 2026. This is Swiss avalanche preparedness and response information, not a live snow-safety assessment, rescue instruction for untrained people or assurance that any slope or road is open. Consult the current SLF bulletin and official rescue services, and train before travelling in avalanche terrain.