Cardiac arrest leaves only seconds between life and death, with the first four minutes being the critical golden window for lifesaving intervention. Recently, two dramatic rescue operations unfolded in Shaanxi, from a school sports field to a marathon racecourse, where certified Red Cross emergency responders stepped forward to administer scientific first aid. These incidents highlight the tangible results of Yan'an's efforts to build a comprehensive Red Cross emergency response system.
"Teacher Liu, a student has suddenly collapsed on the sports field and lost consciousness." Around 10 a.m. on April 8, Liu Jinrong, the school doctor at Yan'an Vocational & Technical College in Shaanxi, received a call from physical education teacher Li Xiang. He immediately grabbed his medical kit and rushed to the field.
Li Xiang recalled that the class was doing warm-up runs during physical education when, after about 300 meters, a student suddenly fell. Li Xiang rushed to the student's side and, finding the student unconscious, immediately began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). He simultaneously instructed a colleague to call the school doctor and emergency services (120) and had another student retrieve the automated external defibrillator (AED) placed at the sports field. However, due to a lack of practical first-aid experience, the initial rescue efforts were not fully effective.
Within two minutes, Liu Jinrong arrived at the scene. He quickly assessed the situation as cardiac arrest and took over the rescue. One shock, two shocks, three shocks... Liu proficiently operated the AED device for defibrillation, combined with high-standard CPR, while Li Xiang assisted by providing oxygen to the student, racing against the critical golden window.
From the start of the rescue until the ambulance arrived, Liu Jinrong performed continuous chest compressions for over 20 minutes. Upon the ambulance's arrival, he assisted medical personnel in connecting the patient to professional medical equipment. Only after ensuring the patient was safely transferred into the ambulance did he briefly relax. Follow-up information confirmed the student's condition steadily improved, and they were successfully transferred to a general ward for further treatment.
The precision and efficiency displayed during this critical moment stem from Liu Jinrong having twice participated in Yan'an City Red Cross emergency response training. He obtained his Red Cross first aid certificate in October 2024 and joined the Yan'an Red Cross Emergency Rescue Team the same year. He routinely carries emergency supplies like quick-acting heart relief pills and disposable barrier breathing masks in his pocket.
Just days later, another life-and-death relay occurred on the Yangling Marathon course. On April 12, Feng Liang, Deputy Director of Ganquan County People's Hospital in Yan'an, was participating in the Yangling Agricultural Science City Half Marathon. Approximately 300 meters from the finish line, he noticed a fellow runner suddenly collapse ahead. Feng Liang rushed to the runner's side and knelt to assess the situation. The runner was unconscious, with dilated pupils and agonal breathing. Drawing on years of medical experience, Feng Liang quickly determined the runner was experiencing cardiac arrest.
"The golden treatment window for sudden cardiac death is only four minutes. The longer the delay, the more uncontrollable the outcome. I had to begin emergency procedures immediately," Feng Liang stated.
After sustained and standardized emergency intervention, the patient's pupils began to constrict, and breathing gradually stabilized. Although full consciousness had not returned, the immediate danger was initially controlled. Feng Liang remained by the patient's side, monitoring until the ambulance arrived and the patient was loaded inside. Only then did he quietly turn to complete his race. The entire process, from rescue to the patient's gradual stabilization, took just over seven minutes. "There was no time for thought in that moment. The only idea in my mind was to save this person as quickly as possible," Feng Liang said.
The composure, decisiveness, and precise, timely intervention in these critical moments stem from nearly two decades of clinical experience and are bolstered by his long-term commitment to emergency response public education and training. To disseminate professional first-aid knowledge to a wider audience, Feng Liang frequently shares related educational videos on his social media accounts. "In a sudden emergency, goodwill alone is far from sufficient. Solid, professional skills are the true foundation for safeguarding life," Feng Liang emphasized.
The successful execution of these two rescue operations was not coincidental. In recent years, the Yan'an Red Cross has strategically planned a city-wide life safety protection network, systematically building a tripartite training system encompassing "awareness training + certification training + specialized training." They are dedicated to establishing the "Rescue at Your Side" emergency response brand. To date, Yan'an has conducted 436 sessions of emergency response awareness training, covering diverse groups within government agencies, schools, enterprises, communities, and rural areas. These efforts have disseminated self and mutual rescue knowledge to approximately 45,000 individuals and trained over 23,000 certified Red Cross emergency responders. Furthermore, 125 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) have been strategically deployed in key locations across the city, including major commercial districts, transportation hubs, schools, and tourist attractions, initially establishing an emergency response network covering both urban and rural areas.
"It is precisely this normalized training and dissemination and systematic capacity building that empowers more ordinary individuals like Liu Jinrong and Feng Liang to dare and be able to act when emergencies arise," stated Li Yuqin, a leading member of the Party group and Vice President of the Yan'an Red Cross.