In the midst of the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, firefighter Wang Renfeng finds himself navigating an unusual shift in focus. As part of a specialized team, Wang and his colleagues are tasked not with their usual role of extinguishing blazes, but with rescuing injured athletes on the snow slopes — a temporary transition from fire to ice.

No longer equipped with breathing apparatus and hoses, they now don skis, their bright red uniforms standing out against the white landscape as they deftly maneuver down the slopes.

Wang, who has been training for this role since 2022, is among a team of over 100 firefighters from Harbin, all of whom are trained to provide a range of emergency services at the Asian Winter Games, including snow rescues, fire prevention and airlifts.

"Our training started two years ago, and every firefighter involved in the Asian Winter Games is now proficient in skiing," Wang said.

When an athlete is injured during competition, a snowmobile swiftly brings a stretcher to the scene, while Wang and his teammates ski uphill to reach the stricken skier. After the athlete is assessed by medical staff, the team — three firefighters in total — carefully transports the stretcher down the slope, moving in unison to ensure the patient's safe descent.

"Rescue skiing requires a different set of skills from regular skiing," Wang noted. "You must control your speed and direction carefully, and it's vital for the team to work together."

During a test event in January, Wang's team participated in a series of drills that honed their rescue techniques. "Every minute we can save in a rescue is a minute that reduces an athlete's pain and danger," he said.

In addition to Wang and his team, there is another group working alongside them during rescue operations: a team of "ski doctors". These doctors, hailing from several medical institutions in Harbin, like Wang, have undergone professional ski training and have participated in numerous field drills while carrying medical backpacks filled with essential equipment.