Wu Lei (first from left) and Liu Jing (first from right) demonstrate first-aid techniques.

In Taihe county, Fuyang, east China's Anhui province, a unique stall has become a fixture in a local park every weekend and on public holidays. It does not sell snacks or trinkets. Instead, it displays cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) manikins and first-aid kits, inviting passersby to stop, learn, and practice essential life-saving techniques free of charge.

The stall is run by Wu Lei, deputy head of the medical consortium office at Taihe County People's Hospital, and his wife Liu Jing, head nurse of the hospital's emergency department. For more than eight years, the couple has dedicated their spare time to this "first-aid stall," while also leading a volunteer team to schools, communities, and government offices. Together, they have helped over 100,000 people acquire life-saving skills.

Wu traces the origins of their endeavor to a tragedy that still weighs heavily on him.

"Eight years ago, a man in his forties drowned while fishing. He was pulled from the water quickly, but no one on the scene knew how to perform CPR. The golden window for rescue was lost, and his life could not be saved," Wu said.

"Half an hour later, when the ambulance arrived, nothing more could be done. We could only watch helplessly as his life slipped away. That sense of powerlessness remains vivid in my mind," he added.

With over two decades of emergency care experience, Liu had witnessed similar tragedies caused by a lack of first-aid knowledge. When Wu shared the story with her, she immediately understood his frustration.

Wu Lei and Liu Jing teach first-aid skills to the public.

"Hospital treatment alone isn't enough. We need to go beyond hospital walls and bring first-aid knowledge directly to the public," Liu said. The couple quickly resolved to move their "classroom" outdoors. "It was summer, so on our days off we went to Shaying River National Wetland Park, where there were large crowds, and set up our stall."

The first attempt was discouraging. "No one came," Wu recalled. "We stood there for over half an hour and not a single person stopped by. In the beginning, it was tough, and we even thought about giving up. But I told myself, as long as I keep talking, someone will listen. And if someone learns, that knowledge may one day save a life."

Since then, the couple has kept their promise, showing up week after week, rain or shine. Over time, people began stopping to watch, then to practice. "Now, whenever we set up, there's always a line of people eager to try," Wu said. "With such enthusiasm, sacrificing a little rest time feels more than worth it."

"Who wants to give it a try? We can provide one-on-one guidance," Wu called out. At once, resident Sun Kai raised his hand. After Wu's hands-on instruction, Sun was able to perform CPR correctly. "I had watched videos before and thought I knew what to do, but when I tried, I made all kinds of mistakes. Wu's 'first-aid stall' is truly necessary," Sun admitted.

The results of their persistence are remarkable. Over the past eight years, the couple's dedication and expertise have helped many people master life-saving skills. In 2021, trainee Qian Sheng saved a drowning child. In 2023, trainee Zhou Fei revived a passerby in cardiac arrest. In 2024, trainee Shi Hao performed CPR on a basketball court, saving yet another life. By rough estimates, people trained at the "first-aid stall" have already rescued more than 20 lives in emergencies ranging from drowning to sudden heart attacks.

"Not long ago, while we were at the stall, a resident came to tell me he had used the Heimlich maneuver he learned from us to save a colleague's child from choking," Wu said. "Every time we hear something like that, it reinforces our belief that if even one person learns something from each session, it's worth it."

Their efforts have grown beyond street teaching. With the support of Taihe County People's Hospital, Wu and Liu founded a "Taihe County Platinum Ten Minutes Self- and Mutual-Rescue Association" in 2017, made up largely of emergency medical professionals. In recent years, they have organized more than 300 events in schools, communities, government agencies, and enterprises.

In 2019, Taihe County People's Hospital established the Taihe County Public First Aid Training Center, appointing Wu and Liu as lead instructors. Since then, the center has hosted 20 first-aid training programs, certifying more than 1,000 participants after formal assessment.

"The two of us alone can only do so much," Liu said. Her greatest hope is that more people will join the effort to spread first-aid knowledge. "Each person we teach adds another safeguard for the whole community."

(Photos from the WeChat official account of Fuyang's social work office)