There are over 5 million mountain hiking enthusiasts in Fujian Province. With such a large community, the demand for professional training and rescue services has also been increasing. It is reported that due to the growing number of hikers, some universities and colleges within the province have started offering elective courses in mountaineering and other outdoor sports. In addition, the provincial mountaineering association revealed yesterday that they will co-establish a training base for mountain rescue with the China Mountaineering Association, issuing certifications to qualified personnel. Their goal is to ensure every county in the province has a mountain rescue team.
Some Colleges Have Already Launched Mountaineering Courses
Fujian is a province with well-developed mass sports, especially outdoor activities. Whenever local governments and sports departments organize outdoor events, they attract large numbers of participants. Last year, Fuzhou even organized a hiking event with 100,000 participants. According to Zhu Shaoming, the founder of the provincial mountaineering association, there are more than 5 million hiking enthusiasts across the province. While mountaineering and fitness activities are flourishing, the lack of adequate support teams for training and rescue has become increasingly evident.
In fact, with the development of outdoor sports such as mountaineering and orienteering, some colleges have already introduced relevant courses. It is known that the Social Sports major at Fujian Vocational College of Sports Technology offers related elective courses, with 72 class hours per semester. The course mainly covers knowledge related to mountaineering, and students will also receive relevant professional qualification certificates upon graduation.
Chen Gaohui, an instructor, told reporters that hikers who engage in mountaineering and camping activities should, when possible, hire professional guides. If that's not feasible, they must at least make four key preparations: psychological, physical, equipment, and skill readiness. Essential equipment includes hiking shoes and clothing, lighting gear, stoves, tents, water containers, dry rations, and backpacks (which should include whistles, compass lights, knives, etc.). Hikers also need skills in wilderness navigation, weather prediction, and wilderness first aid (such as for heatstroke, drowning, insect bites, and wildlife attacks). Chen Gaohui emphasized that hikers should avoid setting up camps near cliffs, streams, or on slopes—especially by streams. He noted that several hiking accidents in recent years were caused by camping near streams.
Every County Will Have Its Own Rescue Team
Lin Wenxian, Director of the Social Sports Guidance Center under the Provincial Sports Bureau, stated: "It’s better to teach someone how to fish than to give them a fish. It is more important to equip hiking enthusiasts with knowledge of mountain safety than to simply rescue them. Of course, while teaching them survival techniques, the training of rescue teams is also urgently needed."
In addition to schools offering courses, many outdoor gear retailers also provide training programs. However, the development of support teams still needs to be accelerated. According to Zhu Shaoming, the founder of the provincial mountaineering association, in August last year, the Executive Vice President of the China Mountaineering Association visited the base of the Fujian Mountaineering Association and reached a preliminary agreement with the provincial association. It is expected that this year, a training base for mountain rescue personnel will be established in Mawei District, Fuzhou, with 60 trainees per session. Those who pass the training will be awarded relevant professional qualification certificates. Zhu Shaoming said their goal is to ensure every county has a mountain rescue team, but this effort also requires strong support from government departments.
Wu Liguan, Deputy Director of the Provincial Sports Bureau, stated that training programs organized by the provincial mountaineering association contribute to the development of mass sports. Wu suggested that the association consider collaborating with the Provincial Sports Bureau when organizing such training. In addition to teaching mountain rescue skills, courses could also include content on social sports guidance, enabling participants to obtain both mountain rescue qualification certificates and social sports instructor certifications.
