119 Fire Fighting Award | He has been working to prevent forest fires for over 30 years; in Sizhai Village, there have been no forest fires or village fires for more than 30 years

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Wu Qingxian, male, of the Dong ethnic group, a Party member, is a genuine farmer from Sizhai Village, Shuangjiang Town, Liping County, Guizhou Province. He is honest and warm-hearted; he loves afforestation. While carrying out tree planting, he always gives top priority to fire safety measures to prevent problems before they arise. For over thirty years, he has dedicated himself to forest fire prevention with unwavering commitment, achieving the miracle of no mountain fires or village fires in Sizhai Village for more than three decades. Starting in 1984, the company took on the management of 5,500 mu of collective forest lands; in 1985, it began afforestation on barren mountains, expanding the area under cultivation to 15,500 mu. It thus became a well-known large-scale afforestation operator, making significant contributions to eliminating barren mountains, greening Liping, maintaining ecological balance, as well as increasing local fiscal revenue and the incomes of the local population. According to the **Forestry Bureau’s 2003 forest survey, since 1984, in terms of individual afforestation efforts, Wu Qingxian has led Guizhou and ranked second nationwide. He was awarded the “National Greening Medal” by the National Greening Committee and the **Forestry Bureau**. Known as the “King of Afforestation in Guizhou”. Through nearly 35 years of afforestation and management, under his leadership, the barren hills covering over 13,000 mu in 9 villages of Sizhai Township were also covered in greenery, turning into a green bank. While focusing on afforestation and forest protection, he gave top priority to fire prevention. He volunteered to work on fire prevention, always treating fire safety as a top priority; he inspected potential hazards in the villages and promoted knowledge about fire safety to ensure that neither forest fires nor village fires broke out. Voluntary labor was put in to create a fire safety passage; since Sizhai Village did not have a fire lane, fire trucks could not reach the area in case of a fire. In 2016, he mobilized the local residents to work together to build a road that is 22 kilometers long and 4.5 meters wide, meant to serve the needs of the community. To date, 20 kilometers of this road have been built, with the remaining section still under construction. The construction of this road not only facilitates people’s travel but also ensures the openness of life-saving routes. Sharing personal vehicles for use, covering the costs of using vehicles for promotional patrols to raise awareness; in order to facilitate fire prevention efforts and inspections, reduce the occurrence of fires in rural areas, and enhance fire rescue capabilities, he does his part to improve the village’s ability to fight fires and protect the lives and property of the villagers. He encourages them to contribute to the development of a fire brigade, thereby addressing the weaknesses in the village’s current fire protection capabilities. In 2009, he paid out of his own pocket to buy a pickup truck worth 100,000 yuan ； Private cars are covered with various fire safety slogans, and during the autumn and winter seasons as well as on important occasions, these cars are used to conduct promotional drives around the village; this not only serves to spread awareness but also acts as a means of surveillance. By accumulating experience and insights, he drafted his own set of village rules and regulations. In response to the frequent unsafe practices related to the use of fire among villagers in the past, he visited other fire prevention model villages to learn from their best practices, developed fire safety knowledge suitable for the specific conditions of his own village, and created village rules and regulations to regulate how villagers use fire and electricity. Fire safety awareness is also promoted among the villagers in an easy-to-understand manner. He insisted on reminding the villagers daily through broadcasts to be careful when using fire and to pay attention to fire safety. The village regulations not only clarify the responsibilities and obligations of the villagers, but also detail a series of procedures for dealing with fire incidents, thereby providing institutional safeguards for fire safety in the village. During breaks and holidays, he would inspect the village’s fire protection infrastructure as well as the way farmers use fire and electricity, addressing any issues found immediately. New village construction: beauty and safety go hand in hand. New rural development goes hand in hand with fire safety. Currently, Sizhai Village is engaged in tourism development and the construction of new rural areas; beautiful wooden houses are being built there, forming a scenic feature of this lovely village. But it also increases fire safety risks. The elderly Mr. Wu Qingxian, while insisting on progress, pays even more attention to safety. He makes his own fire safety signs and hangs them along roadsides and on buildings, reminding people to keep fire safety in mind while carrying out construction work. Dedicated and selfless, a sacred messenger for fire safety awareness. He not only works diligently on fire safety matters himself but also spreads knowledge about fire safety to everyone around him. She works diligently as a volunteer firefighter, driven by her unwavering dedication. The title of fire volunteer fills him with immense honor and pride, as well as a strong sense of responsibility. He often uses his free time to visit farms and schools; even while shopping or having casual conversations, he seizes every opportunity to promote fire safety knowledge. ““The road ahead is long and arduous; I will search high and low.” Wu Qingxian’s full dedication in his daily life has led to a good fire safety environment. In his role as a volunteer firefighter, he silently dedicated his time and effort, actively sharing the fire safety knowledge he possessed. As a result, more people came to understand the importance of fire safety, which helped prevent fire accidents and ensured that the tragic history of fires and related incidents would not repeat itself. This is his dream and pursuit; this is the value of his life. Hard work pays off; thanks to the dedication and efforts of the elderly Wu Qingxian, the fire safety of the village was ensured, resulting in a miracle – no forest fires or village fires in Sizhai Village for over thirty years. He is not only a leader who helps the locals achieve prosperity, but also a guardian of the lives and property of the people.