Swiss fire victims also have to be transferred to foreign hospitals

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• Following the devastating fire disaster in Crans-Montana VS, Swiss fire victims must also be transferred to hospitals abroad.
• In an initial phase, it was possible to ensure that all 119 people injured in the fire disaster received initial treatment in Swiss hospitals.
• However, according to the Federal Office for Civil Protection (Babs), the capacity of Swiss hospitals is not sufficient for the long-term treatment of seriously injured fire victims.
• Austria is taking on six patients, four of whom require intensive care. They are being accommodated and treated in hospitals in Vienna and Graz.

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The extremely complex treatment of serious burn injuries is pushing medical care in Switzerland to its limits, which is why Swiss nationals will be among the 50 seriously injured fire victims from Crans-Montana VS who are to be taken to specialized foreign hospitals by Sunday. This was announced by the Federal Office for Civil Protection Babs on Friday evening.

In a press release, it writes that in an initial phase, initial treatment in Swiss hospitals has been secured for all 119 people injured in the fire disaster. However, the capacities of Swiss hospitals were not sufficient for the long-term treatment of seriously injured fire victims.

This is because the long-term treatment of these people is likely to take months and the number of patients with severe burns after the fire on New Year's Eve is high.

Tragedy in Crans-Montana VS

All 116 injured identified - 83 are still in hospital

Transfer must take place within the next 48 hours

The Babs National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) is coordinating the medical evacuations, according to the press release. The hospitals providing treatment report the patients who are to be transferred. Patients are allocated to the available treatment places according to medical criteria.

The transfer must take place within the next 48 hours, when the patients are still stable enough to be transferred.

"It is important that relatives show understanding for the criteria applied and the urgency, even if these are indescribably difficult situations for the families," writes the Babs.

The Valais authorities announced at a media conference on Friday afternoon that 50 patients are to be transferred abroad by Sunday. These will be to hospitals in Belgium, France, Germany and Italy. According to Babs, transfers to more distant countries are also "under consideration".

High-tech aircraft

Fire victims are transported by these Rega jets

Six Swiss to Austria

Meanwhile, the Austrian news agency APA reported on Friday evening, citing a statement from the Austrian Ministry of the Interior, that Switzerland had accepted an offer of medical assistance from Austria. According to the statement, Austria will take on six patients, four of whom will receive intensive medical care. They will be accommodated and treated in hospitals in Vienna and Graz.

The transport is planned for Saturday morning. All six people are Swiss nationals aged 14, 16, 16, 17, 20 and 30.