“Dabing”: Male, 30 years old, company manager, holds qualifications issued by the Zhejiang Mountaineering Association.
Skilled in mountain search, communication support, and individual self-heating meals.
On the 3rd, a local civilian outdoor emergency rescue team in Ningbo began recruiting members, aiming to reduce accidents among beginner hikers. More importantly, this civilian team has joined the One Foundation Rescue Alliance, with the future goal of participating in major natural disaster rescues.
Most in need of volunteers skilled in medical assistance
In “Dabing’s” office, various climbing ropes, carabiners, and helmets hang everywhere, while rows of walkie-talkies are lined up neatly on the shelves.
“Volunteers first need a passionate sense of public service — that’s a prerequisite,” he said. Then they need certain rescue skills and equipment.
The three essential skills in outdoor rescue are medical assistance, search and location, and communication support.
Among those who have signed up so far, the strongest skills are in mountain search and communication support, while volunteers skilled in medical rescue are relatively lacking.
I learned that the selection process for volunteers is quite strict. After submitting the registration form, candidates must undergo training from professional institutions and pass assessments before becoming official rescue team members. For example, in medical rescue, they must complete emergency medical training from healthcare institutions, including building both soft and hard stretchers; in mountain search, they must pass tests such as rappelling for location, rope use, and efficient, accurate equipment handling; in communication support, they must pass tests by radio experts, mainly covering radio usage, GPS positioning, and establishing radio communication relay stations.
In addition, they must be able to use mobile power systems and drive vehicles proficiently.
Weibo issues recruitment call
User @“Chenghuan’s Dabing” posted a Weibo message:
“The Ningbo Outdoor Emergency Rescue Team is officially recruiting volunteers. Requirements: 1. A commitment to outdoor public welfare rescue, 2. Basic skills in outdoor (wilderness), climbing, first aid, communication, and psychological counseling. 3. Prior rescue experience related to earthquake relief or similar efforts. The team is affiliated with the Yinzhou District Volunteers Association, Yinzhou District Youth Volunteer Service, and the Public Welfare Social Organization Incubation Center, and is also a member of the One Foundation Rescue Alliance. Everyone is welcome to join.”
I contacted @“Chenghuan’s Dabing,” who said he is an outdoor enthusiast deeply passionate about the field. While exploring, he often encounters people who are exhausted or in need of help. “More and more people in Ningbo are getting into outdoor activities, but rescue capabilities haven’t kept up,” he said. By doing this public welfare work, he hopes to draw more attention to the safety aspects of outdoor sports.
Often “pick up” people on ancient trails
“Dabing” is the organizer of this recruitment campaign, 30 years old, runs a small business, and has been into outdoor activities for five years with professional mountaineering qualifications.
“Last year, when we were returning from Longguan Township in Yinzhou, we encountered six or seven hikers in their 50s waving for help, and we had to stop,” he recalled. At that time, those people were completely exhausted and didn’t know where to go. “Dabing” gave them a ride but couldn’t help thinking, what if they were in real danger — how would we rescue them?
He said that professional outdoor athletes are much stricter in risk control, and the chance of accidents is much lower than for beginner hikers — who often lack risk awareness, foresight, tend to act rashly, and choose remote routes, which can be quite dangerous.
Currently, the most common accident scenarios in outdoor sports include: fractures or sprained ankles from falls; drowning, especially due to flash floods; falling off cliffs or being trapped on precipices.
Later, “Dabing’s” idea to establish a professional rescue team gained support from the Yinzhou District Volunteers Association, Yinzhou District Youth Volunteer Service, and the Public Welfare Social Organization Incubation Center.
The application form is detailed down to how many carabiners you have
I downloaded the registration form and was completely stunned. There are so many items to fill out, even specifying how many carabiners you have. For instance, for vehicles, you must list the model and load type, and for communication equipment, you must provide antenna models and operator certificate levels and numbers. I counted — there are over twenty blank fields to fill in.
“We collect all this information to better coordinate rescue efforts later,” “Dabing” said.
Currently, aside from some support from the Yinzhou Public Welfare Social Organization Incubation Center, the rest of the funding comes from their own pockets.
“They’ll use the existing gear first, and for anything lacking, I’ll provide it.”
That means “Dabing” has to cover part of the rescue team’s expenses every year. “Personally, I might not be able to cover it all, so other team members will chip in too,” he said.
This threshold is rather high. When asking users in the consultation group, one said, “With so many blanks, I feel I can’t fill in a single one.”
“Although this user is enthusiastic, they’re probably just here to dip a toe in,” “Dabing” said.
It is understood that there are currently about 10 volunteers who have joined the rescue team's establishment and meet the corresponding requirements.
Essentials for beginner hikers
Beginner hikers are most prone to accidents. "Big Bun" has compiled a list of essential gear for novice hikers.
1 Multi-functional military knife: So many functions, it's hard to count them all.
2 Fire starter: Also known as a lighter, an essential for wilderness survival.
3 Survival blanket: Waterproof and keeps you warm.
4 Lighting equipment: For illumination in case of nighttime emergencies.
5 Emergency rations: A safeguard to ensure survival within 24 hours if an accident occurs.
6 Compass: Necessary when you get lost.
Goal: To build a major emergency rescue team
Outdoor rescue is actually one of the goals of this team. "Big Bun" said, "We have joined the One Foundation Rescue Alliance to respond to major emergencies in Ningbo and the Yangtze River Delta region. This is our future direction and goal." After the rescue team is formed, it will establish communication and coordination with relevant rescue units such as the police and fire departments, so that they can quickly reach the scene in the event of an emergency.