Reform tasks — including to "strengthen capacity for disaster prevention, mitigation and relief" — for "modernizing China's national security system and capacity" were advanced during the third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee in July 2024.

Su Qin, head of Hefei (capital of east China's Anhui Province) branch of Blue Sky Rescue team, a nongovernmental volunteer rescue organization in China, earnestly studied the guiding principle. "I will lead my team in effectively carrying out emergency responses, and in protecting people's health and safety, by staying true to the CPC's original aspiration," she said in response.

During the past 10-plus years, Su and her teammates have completed more than 300 rescue missions, during which they have saved many lives. Su is an "iron lady" when on rescue missions, and she exhibits tremendous courage and dedication as she faces danger head-on.

'I'm the Captain, I Must Take the Lead'

Two 7.8-magnitude earthquakes hit Türkiye on February 6, 2023. In less than a day, 127 Blue Sky Rescue members, from across China, gathered at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport, in central China's Hubei Province, to travel to the disaster-stricken areas. Su served as the team's chief coordinator, as she had extensive experience in emergency-rescue response.

During the summer of 2020, Hefei was deluged by heavy rain — three times greater than that of previous years. As a result, the city had to cope with severe flooding. On July 14, 2020, as part of the mission to cope with the flooding, Su and 10 of her teammates set out for a mountainous area, in south Anhui, to complete an underwater search. The team arrived at the site at 11 pm, after having traveled more than five hours. Despite the darkness, Su decided to begin the search at midnight, to get ahead of the heavy rain forecast for the next day.

It was an extremely dangerous and difficult task. The team had to cope with the muddy and slippery ground. The poor visibility made conditions even worse. Su fell at one point, and she hurt her leg. Undaunted, Su, the only woman diver on the team, decided to finish the mission. She ignored the pain in her leg. She dived into the cold water and searched late into the night. When she surfaced, her arms were black, the result of the extremely cold water, and her leg was bleeding. "I'm the captain, I must take the lead in diving into the water."

During the flood season in 2020, Su led her team in shouldering the responsibility for heavy rescue tasks; in all, 824 rescuers were called out, and they evacuated 517 residents, and completed 55,296 man hours in rescue operations.

A devastating flood ravaged Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province, in July 2021. Su, with 19 Blue Sky Rescue members, rushed to the frontline to evacuate residents. However, some of the residents were reluctant to leave their houses. Su, patiently, explained the potential danger they faced, and she managed to persuade them to leave. Su says it is necessary for rescuers to remain calm and patient during missions.

Making Every Day an Anniversary

To celebrate Valentine's Day (2024), Su asked her husband for a special gift — a love letter. At work, Su is a brave, experienced rescue team captain; in her private life, she is a gentle, romantic woman.

Whenever Su travels with the rescue team, her husband, Lu Haitao, sees her off at the airport, or at the railway station. He always gives her a big hug and a kiss. When Su is not on a mission (not very frequent), she likes to stay home and cook for her family.

Su enjoys her work as a rescue-team member, and she excels as a rescuer and team leader, but she often feels sorry for her family. Why? She is unable to spend much time at home with her husband and son. Fortunately, they are understanding and supportive. Su is grateful for and feels lucky to have her family's support.

Su and Lu have been married for more than 10 years; yet, they have both forgotten their wedding anniversary. To them, picking up their delivery packages and grocery shopping together are more memorable experiences. They believe it is more meaningful to make every day an anniversary.

One Good Deed a Day

Su was born into an ordinary family in Qingyang County, Anhui Province, in February 1980. Her grandfather attached great importance to being honest, upright and disciplined, and he often told his grandchildren to "work with clean hands, obey social ethics, and help other people." Under the influence of her grandfather, Su was raised to be upright, kind and generous, and she was determined to strive to do one good deed a day.

Su joined Hefei Blue Sky Rescue team in 2012. She was one of the team's few women members. As she had good command of various skills, including swimming, diving, first aid, ground searches and operating a boat, she was named the team's captain in 2015.

In 2016, four teenagers drowned in the Anqing section of the Yangtze River, in Anhui. After three days of searching, the teens' bodies were found. Distressed over the incident, Su was determined to do something to make a difference. She discussed the matter with her leader, and she was told to give disaster-prevention and -relief lectures. In 2017, Su and her teammates began conducting such activities in schools and villages, and they helped raise public awareness about drowning prevention.

The team adapted actual cases, and information about drowning prevention, into plays — combining serious, educational lectures and light, fun interactions with children — to raise safety awareness among children, with the aim of reducing drownings. Since 2017, Su and her teammates have given 1,760 public lectures, to more than 1.7 million students. Thanks to the team's efforts, the number of accidental drownings involving students in Hefei has been reduced. Su is gratified, as she feels her team's efforts have been meaningful.

Throughout the years, many people have asked Su, "You are a woman, but you always go first to face dangers. Aren't you scared?" Su just smiles. Of course, she feels scared.

When danger approaches, fear is a natural response for anyone. Su, though, chooses to face it bravely. "Everyone has his/her loved ones and parents, and everyone bears different responsibilities. When I am at the rescue scene, I am too busy to dwell on fear. I just want to do my job and complete the mission. I am the captain, therefore I must go first to face danger," says Su.

Su attended the 13th National Women's Congress of China, as a delegate, in October 2023. On March 3, 2024, she attended the meeting to mark International Women's Day, and to honor China's women role models. On that day, Su, looking spirited and vigorous in her blue team uniform, was named a National March 8th Red-Banner Pacesetter.

An increasing number of women have joined Blue Sky Rescue in recent years. In their day-to-day work, they serve many professions, including being policewomen, lawyers, and doctors; in their private lives, they are mothers, daughters and wives. When performing rescue missions, they are heroines.

"We have never been defined by others, and we have never been easy on ourselves. We have the courage to move forward, and we also have the ease to take a step back. With self-respect, self-confidence, self-independence, and self-reliance, we create a beautiful life; with the spirit of being selfless, fearless and fully devoted, we, as women, contribute our strengths to national development," says Su. 

Photos from Interviewee

(Women of China English Monthly November 2024)

Editor: Wang Shasha