Central China emergency rescue center in WEDZ nears completion

The interior of the aviation emergency simulation training hall at the Central China Regional Emergency Rescue Center in Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone. [Photo/WeChat account: whkfq]

Nearly 100 construction workers were busy landscaping and adding the final touches to the Central China Regional Emergency Rescue Center in Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WEDZ) on July 19.

After approximately 18 months of construction, the center is now nearing completion and is currently undergoing inspection and acceptance processes. It is expected to be operational by the end of the year.

The center is one of six national regional emergency rescue centers and is the first to be completed. It is designed to handle major flood disaster rescue missions across six provinces - Hubei, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hunan, Henan, and Jiangsu.

The facility features key structures, including a command center, a technical and business building, a standby dormitory, an equipment and materials warehouse, and an aviation emergency simulation training hall.

The center will serve as a specialized regional emergency command and coordination hub for responding to significant flood disasters and function as a base for equipment storage, comprehensive rescue operations, training exercises, and aviation support, providing work, study, training, and living spaces for up to 800 people.

The center's aviation emergency simulation training hall is the first of its kind in China, integrating aviation rescue, water rescue, and underwater rescue. It offers professional and systematic training for flight crews, rescue teams, and command personnel, enabling comprehensive air, surface, and underwater system training.

Another pioneering feature is the nation's first basic training ground for flood risk scenarios. The constructed dikes can simulate eight common dike failure scenarios, such as cracks, overflow, and piping collapse. Additionally, the site supports comprehensive training for surface airdrops, underwater terrain detection, and dike hazard detection.

Adjacent to the center, construction on the National Emergency Medical Rescue Base at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University is also being accelerated, with completion expected within the year.

Once these two projects are operational, they will integrate the emergency command platform and dispatch system, forming a model medical rescue team, establishing a coordinated disaster response mechanism, and creating a new integrated medical rescue model, noted a local official.