Shidu Fire and Rescue Station during the flood season, "ready to set off again at any time"
2024-08-11
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This is a "mobile" fire rescue station that can be ready at any time, with two fire trucks and 15 well-trained firefighters.
During the “23.7” torrential rainstorm in Beijing, Shidu Town in Fangshan District was severely affected. Because of its low terrain, the Shidu Fire Rescue Station was also flooded, the courtyard wall collapsed, the highest water level was nearly 1.7 meters, and the silt was more than 1 meter deep. The dredging work lasted until mid-September. Fortunately, the firefighters drove the fire truck to evacuate in advance and entered the village in time for preparation, playing an important role during the rainstorm.
After entering the main flood season of "July to August" this year, firefighters are on high alert, ready to respond to the emergency situations accompanied by heavy rain. "As long as there is a heavy rain warning, we will move the fire trucks as appropriate, which can not only preserve our strength, but also enable more timely rescue on the scene," said Yang Chenglong, deputy station chief of Shidu Fire and Rescue Station.
Shidu Fire and Rescue Station in the mountains. Photo by Zuo Lin, a reporter from the Beijing News
The dilemma of “three breaks”
Shidu is located in the southwest of Fangshan District, Beijing. It is a place with beautiful mountains and clear waters. It is the only large-scale karst landform in northern China and is known as the "Little Guilin in the Suburbs of Beijing". During holidays, many tourists drive here to enjoy the scenery and play in the water.
Behind the beautiful scenery, there are also geological disasters that are prone to occur. During the "23.7" heavy rainstorm in Beijing, Shidu suffered a landslide, the road collapsed, and even the boulders on the ancient riverbed of the Juma River were washed out, and the village was cut off from water, electricity, and communications.
On July 30 last year, the Shidu Fire and Rescue Station, which faces the Juma River, faced a huge test. After discussion, all the firefighters of the fire station were divided into two groups to evacuate.
They first went to the Pingxi Anti-Japanese Memorial Hall and met up with the Shidu Town Government. As the rain intensified, water began to enter the Pingxi Anti-Japanese Memorial Hall, and the water level quickly rose from the calf to the waist.
The firefighters quickly assisted the town government in the evacuation, organized the evacuation of personnel, and transferred important materials. They finally evacuated after confirming that no one was in the courtyard. A team of firefighters led by Yang Chenglong was stranded at the Beijing Railway Training Center due to waterlogging on the road. Before the flood rushed into the courtyard, they transferred all the Beijing Railway staff to the Badu Central Health Center.
In the eight days since leaving the fire rescue station, the firefighters of Shidu Fire Rescue Station have been extremely busy. Food, medicine, drinking water and other supplies arrived at Shidu Railway Station in the early morning of August 2, and the firefighters moved them overnight and transported them on foot to the temporary resettlement site. Each of them had to carry more than 2 tons of supplies every day and walk more than 20 kilometers of mountain roads every day. "Every time I took a step in the mud, I felt so heavy that I couldn't lift my legs." Yang Chenglong recalled.
On the afternoon of August 6, a pregnant woman trapped in Xitaiping Village, Shidu Town, asked the town government for help. After receiving the rescue mission, the firefighters escorted the medical staff to Xitaiping Village. It was dark and the road was slippery, so they climbed over the mountains and passed more than 160 road break points. At 1 a.m. the next day, after 6 hours of hiking, the group finally arrived at Xitaiping Village and saw the pregnant woman. On August 8, the weather was relatively stable, and the firefighters took turns escorting the pregnant woman to the helicopter. Now the Shidu Fire Rescue Station still displays a banner sent by the pregnant woman's family, which reads "The great help is as deep as the sea, and the selfless rescue is as gracious as a mountain."
Silk banners displayed at the Shidu Fire and Rescue Station. Photo by Zuo Lin, a reporter from the Beijing News
Be prepared for heavy rain at any time
After returning to Shidu Fire and Rescue Station, the firefighters summed up their experience and made preparations for the new year's flood season.
Last year, the lack of sufficient satellite phones, generators, and backup batteries caused problems with external communications. This year, during the flood season, the Shidu Fire and Rescue Station has been equipped with a satellite phone, three diesel generators, and 10 radios. In addition, the fire station also stores more than 300 sets of life jackets, as well as flood prevention supplies such as ropes, raincoats, rain boots, and headlamps. "If there is another flood and the villagers need to be evacuated, we will put on life jackets for them and use ropes to assist in the transfer. This time, we don't have to worry about the shortage of supplies." Yang Chenglong said.
Firefighters were worried that the fire station would be flooded again, so they placed one generator at the town government and two at the emergency support center. "This way, we can ensure electricity for multiple units."
They put the speedboat on the roof of the fire truck. "There have been frequent rainstorm warnings during this period. If necessary, we can set off at any time," said Yang Chenglong.
He also pointed to the satellite phone and said, "We also carry these communication devices in the car, and the spare batteries have been charged."
Yang Chenglong shows off a satellite phone. Photo by Zuo Lin, a reporter from the Beijing News
Beijing News reporter Peng Jingtao Zuolin
Editor Liu Qian Proofreader Liu Jun
