When should you turn to firefighters for help?

A firefighter climbs up the ladder to rescue a 4-year-old who is trapped in the second-floor apartment alone on July 17, 2014, in Dongzhi, Central China's Anhui province. [Photo/IC]

When should we really turn to firefighters for help?

According to the Fire Protection Law in China, firefighters are in charge of major disaster relief and responding to emergencies that threaten people's lives.

So we should call the fire department during a big fire or when our lives are in danger.

But the law does not provide a clear definition of what qualifies as a "major disaster relief and emergencies that threaten people's lives."