Blue Sky Rescue 10 Years On: China's biggest non-profit civil rescue group ready for more responsibility

World
Europe

China's biggest non-profit civil rescue organization Blue Sky Rescue celebrated its 10th anniversary in Beijing on Thursday. The head of the organization says he hopes to see more cooperation with all sectors of Chinese society and other civil society organizations involved in rescue operations. Tang Bo has more.

More than 3,0000 volunteers gathered to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the organization Blue Sky Rescue. Over 100 government and non-governmental organization representatives from around the world were in attendance.

KE ZHIHUA, DIRECTOR CHINA INT'L COOPERATION CENTER "I'm happy to see that Blue Sky Rescue has become an important part of China's emergency rescue system. It has also became an active participant as well as a leader in international non-profit rescue missions. "

Founded in 2007, Blue Sky Rescue has become China's biggest non-profit civil emergency rescue organization.

It has over 30,000 registered volunteers. Among them are more than 10,000 people with professional training who are available for immediate rescue assignments.

The organization has taken part in more than 10,000 search and rescue missions so far, helping save lives after earthquakes, landslides, and hurricanes.

ZHANG YUPU, VOLUNTEER BLUE SKY RESCUE "The biggest change that Blue Sky Rescue has made in the past 10 years is that it's now well-equipped with cutting-edge devices and technologies in the area of emergency rescue."

That was echoed by Guo Tao, Vice President of Hytera, a Chinese telecommunication giant which has been providing Blue Sky Rescue with technical support in the past two years. She said the company is working on innovations with the rescue organization.

GUO TAO, VICE PRESIDENT HYTERA COMMUNICATION CORP., LTD "Blue Sky Rescue is very professional in emergency rescues, while our company holds the international leadership in the area of emergency telecommunications. So we should work together to find out how we can combine the two and apply our world-leading communication technologies to real emergency rescue occasions."

Cooperating with technical companies is just part of Blue Sky Rescue's efforts to improve its rescue capabilities and influence. Blue Sky branch teams have been established in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Singapore, with the aim of exchanging rescue skills and strengthening cooperation with local rescue professionals.

PATRICK THONG, VOLUNTEER BLUE SKY RESCUE MALAYSIA "In Malaysia, there used to be no such organization like Blue Sky Rescue that can integrate all rescue sectors, such as medical care, fire control, and search and rescue. But Blue Sky Rescue managed to do that in Malaysia."

SHAJANA RIMAL, VOLUNTEER BLUE SKY RESCUE NEPAL "Nepal is a country where natural disasters frequently occur, BSR is doing well there in disaster relief, and local rescuers are willing to learn from them."

According to the State Council, China's emergency system will actively take on more international responsibilities, and constructively take part in international emergency services. At the same time, Blue Sky Rescue will implement domestic and international standards, to improve emergency rescue standards for China's civil society organizations. Tang Bo, CGTN, Beijing.