TCS emergency barometer: High level of trust in professionals, uncertainty about how to act in an emergency
The forgotten skill: first aid in an emergency
People have a high level of trust in emergency services. However, when it comes to their own first aid skills, many people in Switzerland lack the necessary self-confidence.
The population of Switzerland feels largely safe in medical emergencies: over 85% of people who have experienced an emergency in the last two years say they felt well or very well cared for. Trust in the relevant actors is also high – 99% of respondents trust the emergency services and 95% trust medical professionals.
Emergency services, paramedics and mountain rescue services enjoy a high level of trust, regardless of whether they are organised by the state or privately. The population feels well cared for in an emergency, but relies heavily on external help. When it comes to their own abilities, however, the picture is different: only just under half would feel confident performing life-saving emergency measures such as CPR or shock treatment. Self-confidence is particularly low among older people and those who generally consider themselves to be less competent – in this group, only one in five believe they would be able to provide effective help in an emergency.
There is a demand for low-threshold services: more information on cost coverage, better psychological follow-up care and easily accessible training formats – both digital and analogue – would help to strengthen people’s confidence in their own ability to act.
The use of digital support services in emergencies has increased significantly: emergency apps recorded an increase of 11 percentage points, while telemedicine services recorded an increase of 7 percentage points compared to last year’s survey. Medical professionals are also being contacted directly more often. This change is part of a broader debate about reducing the burden on emergency departments and expanding outpatient care.
At the same time, fundamental gaps in information remain: one in five respondents does not know who is responsible for the costs of a rescue operation. In addition, 72% would like to see more psychological support after emergencies. This highlights potential for targeted educational work.
The study is based on a representative survey of 1,010 Swiss residents and an online survey of 1,009 TCS members. The fieldwork took place between 24 February and 30 March 2025. The maximum sampling error is ±3.1 percentage points with a 95% confidence interval.
The detailed results can be viewed in the interactive cockpit in German, French and Italian.
