Heroes in Harm's Way Bring Sunshine to Zhengzhou

Heroes in Harm's Way Bring Sunshine to Zhengzhou

风雨中逆行 扛起一片“晴空”

 

To avoid the upcoming downpours in Zhengzhou of Henan, lines of private cars were parked on overpasses, stores of sandbags were stacked at mall lobbies, entrance to residential communities and basements, emergency vehicles were ready for mission on main roads, warning signs were put up near sewers and wells… In spite of wind and rain, a group of people rushed to the frontline.

夜幕下的郑州，高架桥上避水车辆停成长队，商场门厅、小区大门、地库入口处沙袋高高筑起，主要干道上应急车辆已准备就位，下水道和井盖旁边也竖起了警示牌……风雨中，一群人却选择了逆行。

 

At 1 am, a warm-hearted citizen bought them a takeout

凌晨1点，热心市民送来暖心外卖

 

"Let's get ready, go and guard the overpasses, underpasses, tunnels and culverts! Keep at it. Don't slacken off!" Niu Zhenxi, head of Zhengzhou Red Cross Water Rescue Team (Volunteers), said in a hoarse voice.

“现在开始，各就各位！咱们再去立交桥、地下通道、隧道涵洞那里守着，不要放松警惕！”郑州市红十字水上义务救援队队长牛振西沙哑的声音一次次传来。

 

On the evening of August 21, divided into groups of three, the rescue team set off to the possible flooded roads with emergency equipment and rescue supplies.

8月21日晚，郑州市红十字水上义务救援队再次集结，队员们三人一组，备好应急装备、救援物资，规划驻守点位，准备赶赴可能积水的隐患区域。

 

"Thanks to the experience of coping  with the rainstorm in Zhengzhou on July 20, we worked overnight to find out the possible flooded areas and get there before the heavy rain," said Niu.

“有了上次应对暴雨的经验，这次大家连夜排查，提前赶到积水隐患点，以防雨大水深时不好赶去。”牛振西说。

 

When preparing work was all done, it was already the early morning of August 22. To their surprise, they got an anonymous delivery.

检查好船、给轮胎充好气、车辆加满油，集合后的队员准备再次巡视时，已是22日凌晨。这时，他们却突然收到一份陌生人的外卖。

 

"The order was placed with no buyer's name, but a note reading: We appreciate your hard work." The delivery guy put down a pack of mineral water and hurried off.

“给你们的外卖，没有留名字。专门交代说你们辛苦了！”外卖小哥放下一件矿泉水匆匆走了。

 

Each of them was deeply touched…

一股暖流涌动在队员心里……

 

"Cheer up, Henan! Cheer up, Zhengzhou!"

附近居民在喊“河南加油！郑州加油！”

 

"Soon after, the water kept rising!" According to Dong Fuqiang, a member of the rescue team, "As the rain poured down, the touch screen of my mobile phone did not work at all."

“不一会儿的工夫，水就涨起来了。”郑州红十字蓝天应急救援队队员董付强说，“手指按在手机屏幕上都没有反应，雨水哗哗地流了下来。”

 

At 2 pm on August 22, heavy rain and wind hit Zhengzhou. At the order of the emergency response headquarters of Zhengzhou's Guancheng Hui district, he rushed to a dilapidated building near the intersection of S. Chengdong Road and Shangcheng Road along with 26 rescuers to evacuate residents there.

8月22日下午2点，雨大风急，接到管城回族区应急指挥部的指令，他带着26名救援队员赶到城东南路和商城路交叉口附近一处危房，紧急疏散一部分居民。

 

"Hurry! No time to lose." Upon arrival, they got all the residents to rescue cars and encircled the spot with warning line and security fence. Seeing the volunteer team coming, the nearby residents exclaimed on their balconies, "Cheer up, Henan! Cheer up, Zhengzhou!"

速度，再速度！救援队员赶到后，把居民安全护送到救援车上，在路边竖起了安全警戒线和围栏。这时，周围楼上的居民站在阳台上，探出身子大声喊：“河南加油！郑州加油！”

 

Their voice was louder than the sound of strong wind and pouring rain.

喊声，盖过了风声、雨声。

 

The rescue team was more experienced and well-prepared for this storm, said Dong. For example, when wells overflowed, people like the traffic policemen, community staff members, volunteers and cadres working on the frontline would rush up to the sites and quickly remove garbage from the wells with their hands. Standing at the entrance to dangerous roads, they would ask people to take other routes, and everyone was very cooperative.

为应对这次暴雨，大家的经验和准备更充足，董付强说，比如遇到窨井冒水，很快就会有交警、社区人员、志愿者、下沉干部冲上去，搬起井盖用手把垃圾清走；他们站在有危险的路口拦住不让人过，大家都很理解，没有人去“杠”……（中文来源/河南日报 翻译/赵汉青 海报/实习生王君艺 审校/丁岚）