Firefighter team honored for its role in rescues

A team of 1,075 firefighters has been honored as role models by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee for rescuing more than 13,000 people from flooding in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province.

Qin Xuhua, a member of the Jiujiang Fire and Rescue Team that took part in flood relief along Poyang Lake in the province in July, said the disaster this year was more severe than the previous six flood rescues he participated in.

On July 7, Qin's team received phone calls from the city's three counties－Hukou, Duchang and Pengze－at nearly the same time, asking for rescue assistance.