Regional emergency rescue center to be built in Wuhan

The launch ceremony of the regional emergency rescue center. [Photo provided to en.whkfq.gov.cn]

A regional emergency rescue center is being built in Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei province, to strengthen major disaster response in the region.

A ceremony marking the launch of construction was held in Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone on Dec 16, according to local media reports.

The project, with an investment of 1.04 billion yuan ($149.14 million) in total, consists of a main functional area in the General Aviation Industrial Park of Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone and a water rescue training base in Jingzhou city.

The main functional area focuses on real-scene training and aviation simulation emergency rescue training for all kinds of flood hazards, while the Jingzhou Honghu Water Rescue Training Base is equipped with a comprehensive training ground for actual flood disaster response, a training ground for torrent rescue, and a comprehensive training ground for rescue in still water. 

The regional emergency rescue center in Central China will be responsible for rescue operations during major flooding disasters in Hubei, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hunan, Henan and Jiangsu provinces. It will be built in June 2024 and act on the order of the national command headquarters for emergencies and the Ministry of Emergency Management to carry out cross-regional rescue missions.

Speaking at the ceremony via video link, Xu Jia'ai, deputy head of the Ministry of Emergency Management, said that the establishment of the regional emergency rescue center is a major strategic task proposed at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China to strengthen the national force for regional emergency rescue operation.

Xu urged coordinated efforts to ensure the center will be completed on schedule with an innovative design, high quality, and rigorous construction standards to make it safe, reliable, and corruption-free.

Dong Weimin, executive vice-governor of Hubei province, said at the ceremony that Hubei will bear in mind the importance of strengthening the national security system and actively advancing construction on the project.

The province will make the most of the regional emergency rescue center to raise the capacity for emergency response and promote the development of relevant industries so as to boost the synergy between project construction and the province's economic growth, Dong said.

To date, China has built six regional emergency rescue centers across the country.