Search, rescue and disaster relief

Aid in Switzerland and abroad

Alongside other national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, the SRC was able to provide vital support, despite difficult working conditions. In South Sudan, the SRC was able to help stem a cholera epidemic and ensure access to treatment.

In Myanmar, we supported the aid operation in the wake of the severe earthquake that hit the country in March, providing families with relief supplies and medical care. In the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, our work focused on maintaining the healthcare services under extremely arduous conditions.

In Switzerland, we ran a relief operation to help the people in Blatten (Valais), who were reliant on emergency relief and bridge funding after the devastating landslide destroyed their village.

First aid skills

Promoting first aid knowledge remains a focus of our work. On the occasion of the 25th World First Aid Day, we called on the population to refresh their first aid skills. Information stands were set up throughout Switzerland to promote the SRC rescue organizations, demonstrate how to perform life-saving first aid and show how being confident about what to do proves crucial in an emergency.

A cholera epidemic broke out in South Sudan in September 2024. More than 24 000 cases and 475 fatalities had been reported by early 2025. 

Effective response in hotspots

At the request of the South Sudan Red Cross (SSRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) deployed a cholera emergency response unit under SRC leadership. This was the first time the SRC’s specialized unit was deployed in a conflict zone. 

Rehydration points were set up in the affected communities, where suspected cholera patients could receive rehydration salt solutions to replace the body fluids they had lost. Severely dehydrated patients were transferred to hospitals. 

The rapid treatment enabled serious outcomes to be avoided and lives were saved. This approach prevented medical facilities from becoming overwhelmed, as only the most severe cases were hospitalized.  Cholera is highly contagious and life-threatening. Extreme diarrhoea and vomiting lead to significant fluid loss. Without prompt treatment, it can be fatal.

Help for over 13 000 patients

The cholera emergency response unit spent four months helping the SSRC to stem the spread of cholera and treat patients. It was also in charge of procuring and transporting specially needed supplies for the rehydration points. The emphasis was on training local staff and volunteers to strengthen the SSRC in the longer term. Despite the unstable situation on the ground and the restrictions on freedom of movement, significant progress was made.

• More than 13 000 patients visited the rehydration points

• 19 rehydration points were set up in various parts of the country

• Over 200 local staff and volunteers were trained

Handover to the South Sudanese Red Cross

Towards the end of the operation in mid-May, the cholera emergency response unit gradually handed over all its activities to the SSRC so that it could carry on running them independently. The SSRC now has greater operational readiness to effectively respond to future cholera outbreaks.

On 28 March, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar. Almost 4000 people were killed and roughly 1.35 million people’s lives were disrupted by the devastation. Areas such as Sagaing, Mandalay, Bago and Naypyidaw had already been experiencing a need for significant humanitarian aid due to years of conflict and internal displacement. The earthquake considerably worsened this situation.

Within just a few hours, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement had mobilized extensive relief assistance. The SRC also stepped in to help, providing support for the relief operation by the German Red Cross (DRC), which worked in close cooperation with the Myanmar Red Cross.

Protection and first aid for earthquake victims

The SRC immediately provided relief supplies for roughly 7500 people, including family tents, water canisters and hygiene kits. The tents provided safe shelter during the approaching monsoon, while no permanent accommodation was available.

We also delivered medical supplies and first aid equipment for 1500 volunteers so that they could care for the injured under the difficult circumstances. Three mobile medical units were also equipped so that they could even provide primary assistance in regions that are difficult to access.

Two SRC emergency response specialists joined our partners in the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to provide support. This included setting up a logistics and procurement management system for relief supplies.

Building resilience

Once the immediate emergency had been stabilized, reconstruction became the priority. This was done using the so-called ‘build back better’ approach: damaged homes should not only be rebuilt, but in such a way that they are resilient to future natural hazards. This involved structural improvements, training courses and ongoing support for local communities.

Cash assistance was also provided so that the victims could cover their immediate living expenses and resume their economic activities. These short-term measures improved access to safe shelter, clean water and basic necessities, while in the longer term, they improved the population’s resilience to future disasters.

The Palestinian Red Crescent (PRC) provides medical assistance and humanitarian aid for the civilian population under the most difficult circumstances. Last year, the SRC helped its sister society to improve its deployment capability in the healthcare sector and maintain its essential services for the civilian population in Gaza and the West Bank.

Catastrophic humanitarian situation

The disastrous humanitarian consequences of the conflict continued to have an impact on everyday life in Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of people remained displaced, many of whom having been displaced several times. They live in damaged houses or tents that provide next to no protection. Access to clean water and other vital goods remains difficult. Only limited quantities of essential relief supplies are reaching Gaza and, after two years of crisis, a large sector of the population is reliant on humanitarian aid. The healthcare system is under enormous strain: many facilities are no longer in operation, and those that remain are overwhelmed.

The situation in the West Bank has also continued to deteriorate. Military operations and violent incidents are a daily occurrence. A large number of checkpoints restrict freedom of movement, with a high social and economic impact. Access to healthcare is complicated.

Support for ambulance service and hospitals

Despite the extremely difficult conditions, with the SRC’s help, the PRC health and rescue services have been able to continue operating. This involved repairing and maintaining ambulances so that emergency response teams remained operational, while also supplying medicines, medical equipment and fuel for the clinics and vehicles.

In this way, the PRC has been able to keep its ambulances running and deploy its resources flexibly to meet changing needs in Gaza and the West Bank. Last year, the PRC cared for over 120 000 injured and sick people who were reliant on this vital medical aid.

On 28 May last year, massive landslides buried a large part of the village of Blatten in Valais canton. Although the residents were able to be evacuated in time, they lost everything. The buildings and public infrastructure have largely been destroyed.

Financial support

Together with Caritas Switzerland, the SRC immediately released CHF 400 000 in aid funding. Shortly afterwards, this emergency assistance was paid out to the disaster victims to enable them to buy the most urgent necessities and cover any short-term additional costs. We will continue to stand by the victims in the medium-to-long term. If there are any outstanding costs, bridge funding and other support may be provided.

We are working closely with the communal and cantonal authorities and with other charities. We are also an active member of the local fundraising committee, and are helping to process the requests and distribute the donated funds. Caritas Switzerland and the SRC have a great deal of experience in coping with natural disasters and working together.

Warm response from the Swiss population

The landslide gave rise to an enormous wave of solidarity. There were many spontaneous offers of help and donations from private individuals and companies. Swiss Post issued a special donation stamp. Raiffeisen Bank and its customers supported the victims by means of a donation-matching fund. The Schweizerische Militär-Sanitätsverbands (SMSV) in Blatten and Valais canton dispatched two volunteers to help with logistics.

All over the world, war and other armed conflicts separate people from their loved ones. Thousands of people have no idea what has become of their family members, sometimes for years. This uncertainty is overwhelming. It even affects people who have become refugees in Switzerland. A well-functioning family is an important social, emotional and material resource.

Life when loved ones are missing

The uncertainty about the fate of a relative causes a particular type of suffering. It can lead to feelings of helplessness, grief and confusion, or trigger guilt and anxiety. Those searching are constantly tormented by questions about the whereabouts of their relatives or the reasons why they lost contact. Is the missing person dead or still alive?

Until those affected receive clear answers, they cannot come to terms with the situation. Simply living a normal daily life is a challenge. The SRC Tracing Service helps them find out where their missing relatives are. In 2025, the service handled cases relating to the conflicts in Ukraine, Somalia and Afghanistan.

On the occasion of the 25th World First Aid Day on 13 September, the SRC and its four rescue organizations called on the population to refresh their first aid skills. In an extreme situation or an emergency, knowing how to respond correctly and administer first aid might mean the difference between life and death.

Promoting and consolidating knowledge

Extreme natural phenomena, such as storms, heatwaves and landslides, are on the increase, even in Switzerland. When these occur, a sound knowledge of first aid can save a life.

First aid courses not only provide the necessary know-how, but also the confidence to act without delay while remaining safe yourself. To promote this knowledge and consolidate it within our population, the SRC rescue organizations offer a broad range of training and refresher courses in rescue and first aid.

Erste Hilfe app

Anyone looking to brush up on their first aid can use the Red Cross Erste Hilfe app. And it can be consulted anywhere, at any time. In an emergency, it gives immediate access to emergency service numbers and first aid measures that can save lives.