E775. The earthquake in Gansu came suddenly. I took a search and rescue dog to the disaster area for rescue.
Key Terms
- Earthquake Disaster: A sudden natural disaster that poses a serious threat to people's lives and property.
- Search and Rescue Dog: A dog that has undergone professional training for search and rescue operations.
- Sand Eruption: A phenomenon where underground sand surges to the surface due to an earthquake, increasing the difficulty of rescue operations.
- Disaster Relief: Emergency assistance operations carried out in disaster - stricken areas, including searching for survivors and transporting supplies.
- Public Welfare Rescue: Rescue operations that are not for profit, usually initiated by volunteers or non - profit organizations.
Abstract
At [Beijing Time] on December 18th, a 6.2 - magnitude earthquake hit Jishishan County, Linxia Prefecture, Gansu Province, causing significant casualties. Zhong Ming, a search and rescue dog trainer, rushed to the disaster area with his search and rescue dog, Zixie, to participate in the rescue operation immediately. The sand eruption phenomenon triggered by this earthquake posed great challenges to the rescue work. Zhong Ming shared his experiences in the disaster area, emphasizing the important role of search and rescue dogs in disaster relief and the current shortage in quantity and quality of China's search and rescue dog forces. Meanwhile, he called on all sectors of society to pay attention to and support the public welfare rescue cause to enhance the overall disaster - resistance capacity.
Insights
The content of this podcast reveals the cruelty of earthquake disasters and the urgency and complexity of rescue work. From the perspective of the search and rescue dog trainer, we not only witnessed the suffering of the people in the disaster area but also understood the unique value of search and rescue dogs in disaster relief. In addition, the content also triggered reflections on the construction of China's search and rescue forces, highlighting the necessity of increasing the quantity and quality of search and rescue dogs, which is of great significance for improving the national emergency rescue system.
Views
01 "Life Comes First in the Face of Disasters"
In the face of disasters, rescue workers are under great pressure and challenges, but saving lives is the top priority.
02 "Search and Rescue Dogs are an Important Force in Disaster Relief"
Search and rescue dogs have unique advantages in searching for survivors in ruins and locating them, serving as an effective supplement to human rescue forces.
03 "There is Still Room for Improvement in China's Search and Rescue Forces"
The quantity and quality of China's search and rescue dogs do not match the country's economic development level. More investment is needed to improve the overall search and rescue capacity.
In - depth Analysis
The Gansu Earthquake: The Silent Rescue of Search and Rescue Dogs and Reflections on China's Emergency Response Forces
The 6.2 - magnitude earthquake in Jishishan County, Linxia Prefecture, Gansu Province has touched the hearts of people across the country. After the disaster, various rescue forces quickly assembled and rushed to the disaster area. Among them, search and rescue dogs, as a special rescue team, played an irreplaceable role in searching for signs of life in the ruins.
Zhong Ming, a search and rescue dog trainer, rushed to the disaster area in Gansu with his search and rescue dog, Zixie, to participate in the rescue work immediately. Zhong Ming introduced that the collapse of houses caused by the earthquake brought great difficulties to the rescue, and the sand eruption phenomenon in Zhigou Village, Minhe County, Qinghai Province, further increased the complexity of the rescue. The surging sand buried the houses, making it extremely difficult to search for people.
The Hope of Life Under the Sand Eruption
It is understood that Zhigou Village is located on the former course of the Yellow River, with a high groundwater level and accumulated sand. After the earthquake, the underground sand surged out, instantly swallowing the village. Facing the houses buried by sand, large - scale machinery could hardly enter, and rescue workers could only conduct searches at the edges.
In this situation, the value of search and rescue dogs became prominent. Search and rescue dogs can search in areas where humans cannot reach and find trapped people through their sense of smell. Zhong Ming led Zixie to conduct a tense search and rescue operation in Zhigou Village. Despite the threats of mudslides and sand eruptions, Zixie still searched hard, not letting go of any glimmer of hope.
"I dare not look into their eyes because I know they have great expectations for us," Zhong Ming recalled. The eyes of the victims were full of hope, hoping that the search and rescue dogs could find their relatives. However, with the sand covering, the hope of finding survivors was extremely slim.
The Professionalism and Perseverance of Search and Rescue Dogs
Zhong Ming introduced that real search and rescue dogs operate independently. They rely on their keen sense of smell and professional training to search for signs of life in the ruins. He criticized some "search and rescue dog" videos that were just for show, believing that such behaviors were harmful to the victims.
At the disaster site, search and rescue dogs face various dangers. Reinforcing bars, glass, etc., may cause physical injuries, and long - term searching also consumes their physical strength. To protect search and rescue dogs, some people suggested putting shoes and vests on them. However, Zhong Ming believed that this would affect the dogs' perception of the ground and reduce the search efficiency. "The nature of the search and rescue dog profession means they should go into action without extra protection."
The Current Situation and Reflections on China's Search and Rescue Forces
During the rescue operation of the Gansu earthquake, Zhong Ming also noticed the deficiencies in China's search and rescue forces. He pointed out that the quantity and quality of China's search and rescue dogs do not match the country's economic development level and are far behind the expectations of the government and the people.
"For an area of this size, we need high - quality search and rescue dogs. Each province should have at least ten search and rescue dogs of Zixie's level to truly protect our people," Zhong Ming called on. He emphasized the need to increase investment in search and rescue dogs, improve their training level, and enhance the overall search and rescue capacity.
Mutual Assistance in the Face of Disaster
Despite the many difficulties in the rescue work, the mutual assistance among the people in the disaster area was also heart - warming. The villagers spontaneously provided food and water for the rescue workers, expressing their gratitude to the rescue forces.
"There was a villager, an aunt, who brought me a bowl of ginger sugar water she had made," Zhong Ming recalled. Although he didn't drink it because of his high blood sugar, he felt the warmth from the victims.
Outlook and Considerations
The Gansu earthquake once again reminds us that natural disasters are common challenges faced by humanity. In the face of disasters, we need a more perfect emergency rescue system, more professional rescue forces, and a more united and mutually - helpful spirit.
Increasing the quantity and quality of search and rescue dogs, strengthening the training of emergency rescue personnel, and raising the public's awareness of disaster prevention and mitigation are all directions for our future efforts. Only in this way can we be more calm in the face of disasters and better protect people's lives and property.
In the disaster relief process, we witnessed the fragility of life and the brilliance of human nature. The silent rescue of search and rescue dogs is not only a respect for life but also a fulfillment of responsibility. Let's pay tribute to all those who participated in the rescue. May the deceased rest in peace and the living be strong!