Water rescue team sharpens its ice-diving skills
Little-heralded outfit braves aquatic depths in Beijing for intensive training
Providing answers
Despite all the meticulous preparation, engaging in a diving rescue operation for the first time is far different from the training process.
Han clearly remembers his first rescue operation when he had to dive 18 meters to rescue someone.
"I was very scared the first time I went into the water for a mission. Though my former instructor was diving with me, I couldn't stop clenching my fists and gripping the rope," he said. "It felt like the veins on the back of my hands were bulging, and I was worried that my lungs would collapse because we dived quite deep."
Thankfully, his instructor gestured for him to relax. "Suddenly I calmed down and began to swim slowly in search of the person needing rescue," Han recalled.
Unlike on land, underwater firefighters have no solid support. The longer they stay submerged, the more their bodies can stiffen, potentially leading to muscle fatigue.
Despite the complexity and variability of the underwater environment, and the need to master techniques related to scuba and ice diving, Zhao said saving lives is the top priority on every mission.
"Many Chinese people believe in the importance of seeing a loved one again, regardless of whether they are alive or dead," said Zhao. "In every rescue mission, our utmost effort is to provide answers to the families of the victims, and that's what we strive to achieve."
