Local volunteer rescue team safeguards public safety
2026-07-05 18:07:13
By Chen Si.
Founded in 2019 and officially registered in 2021, the Yichang Blue Sky Rescue Team has become a leading grassroots emergency rescue organization. As a key auxiliary force for the local government’s emergency management system, it is committed to safeguarding public safety across the region.
The team has completed more than 100 emergency rescue missions, including high-altitude ice rescue, stranded hiker evacuations, emergency response during severe winter weather, and cross-regional disaster relief. It has also rescued 22 people who fell into the Yangtze River.
The team currently has 205 registered members from diverse professional backgrounds, forming a well-structured and versatile volunteer workforce.
It has a standardized organizational structure with four functional departments and 10 specialized operational teams. The team can rapidly mobilize over 30 core rescuers to respond to emergencies on short notice.
The team’s development has received strong support from emergency management authorities at all levels. The Yichang Emergency Management Bureau has allocated special funding for professional equipment, including sonar systems, automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and rescue boats.
Founded in 2019 and officially registered in 2021, the Yichang Blue Sky Rescue Team has become a leading grassroots emergency rescue organization. As a key auxiliary force for the local government’s emergency management system, it is committed to safeguarding public safety across the region.
The team has completed more than 100 emergency rescue missions, including high-altitude ice rescue, stranded hiker evacuations, emergency response during severe winter weather, and cross-regional disaster relief. It has also rescued 22 people who fell into the Yangtze River.
The team currently has 205 registered members from diverse professional backgrounds, forming a well-structured and versatile volunteer workforce.
It has a standardized organizational structure with four functional departments and 10 specialized operational teams. The team can rapidly mobilize over 30 core rescuers to respond to emergencies on short notice.
The team’s development has received strong support from emergency management authorities at all levels. The Yichang Emergency Management Bureau has allocated special funding for professional equipment, including sonar systems, automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and rescue boats.
Yichang Blue Sky Rescue Team rescues a camper at night in the mountains.Complemented by members’ self-funded equipment purchases and public donations, the team continues to expand its equipment inventory, steadily improving its operational and logistical capabilities. Many members now hold nationally recognized professional emergency rescue certifications.
Drawing on its experience in Yichang’s mixed mountain and river terrain, the team has built core strengths in water rescue and mountain search and rescue. It operates a full-spectrum training system covering 18 specialized rescue tasks.
The team trains year-round, with specialized drills accounting for more than 70 percent of its annual schedule. It continues to strengthen its capabilities in swift water rescue, high-angle cliff operations, and dense woodland search, building a highly skilled, field-ready rescue force.
Yichang Blue Sky Rescue Team lifts a man down a cliff during a mountain rescue operation.Beyond emergency response and disaster relief, the team regularly provides free public safety and emergency preparedness education, sharing practical knowledge on drowning prevention, first aid, and disaster risk reduction with local communities.
In 2025, the team partnered with local authorities to deliver 58 children’s drowning prevention training sessions, reaching more than 5,300 students. It also organized over 320 public safety campaigns, benefiting more than 50,000 residents.
In the previous year, the team conducted more than 100 training and educational activities, contributing over 11,000 volunteer hours and serving more than 84,000 people. These initiatives have significantly improved local residents’ emergency response capabilities.
He Guanying also contributed to this story
