The recent extreme rainfall in Henan province caused serious flooding in many areas there, and with flood season having arrived, similar risk exists throughout China. In response to this situation, the Open University of China (OUC) arranged for its Learning Resources Department (Digital Library) to coordinate with the MOE Research & Training Centre for Community Education and the OUC Publishing & Media Group to release the non-degree resource “Life Security and Emergency Self-rescue” through the university’s official Bilibili account in order to keep the public informed.

The series includes ten lessons that cover natural-disaster survival skills, first-aid, CPR, injury, use of fire-fighting equipment, rope construction, and other topics. The main instructors include Liu Hongwei, founding member of China Search and Rescue, and Wang Heng, emergency-rescue trainer with the Red Cross Society (Beijing Branch). The lessons teach risk-assessment, precautions, and the actions to take when emergencies arise.

The classes were released on the OUC’s official Bilibili account on 22 July 2021, with the platform recognising their significance in the current situation, and giving them a prominent position.

OUC open classes

The classes have been viewed 12,000 times and forwarded, liked, commented on, marked as favourites, and so on, over 2,000 times within 24 hours.

By Zhou Xiang, Yang Wei, OUC