Build a strong security line during study abroad
Our reporter Zhou Shuyun
“People’s Daily Overseas Edition” (No. 08, November 10, 2022)
Recently, a large-scale crowd gathered in Itaewon, Yongsan District, the center of Seoul, South Korea due to a Halloween event, which caused a serious stampede accident. So far, 156 people have been killed and many injured, including Chinese students in South Korea.
This incident has also brought attention to the safety of studying abroad. Students who are overseas need to be familiar with various security risks and understand the relevant measures to effectively deal with the situation. Keep in mind safety first, and always tighten the string of study abroad safety.
How to avoid danger in the event of a stampede
Wang Luqiao was studying at Kyung Hee University in South Korea. On the day of the accident, she and her friends met in Itaewon. Wang Luqiao recalled: “There were too many people that night. I was deeply impressed that many people occupied the road to dance and revel, attracting a large number of people to stop and cheer, which made the popularity of people enter more slowly, and people stick to people. Moving forward, my friend and I met an hour later than expected. Exit 1 of Itaewon Subway Station was closer to the incident, and it was crowded with people. My friend and I decided to leave. Yes, the accident happened about 10 minutes after we left,” Wang Luqiao said.
Video from the scene showed that the stampede occurred in a narrow alley next to the Hamilton Hotel in the center of Itaewon-dong. The alleys are not only narrow and sloping, but when the top-to-bottom flow of people encounters the crowds crossing the exit of the subway station below, the travel speed is slower, which further increases the risk of crowding and stampede, which eventually leads to tragedy.
If Chinese students face a sudden stampede abroad, how should they protect themselves? Wang Xuejun, an international safety education expert, gave advice: “In places with limited space and dense crowds, if the crowd is crowded and students feel that there is a danger of being trampled, they should first consider leaving as soon as possible. The injuries caused in stampede accidents are mainly due to people crushing people. It will cause the chest cavity to lose expansion space and cause crushing suffocation. If you are caught in a dense crowd that cannot advance or retreat, to ensure that the neck and chest cavity are not squeezed, you can hold the left wrist with the right hand, and place the elbows on the chest. Make a fist on the chin to form a stable ‘triangle’ in front of the chest. You can also use the ‘Human Mack Method’ with the people around you to shout ‘back’ rhythmically together to send a warning signal to let more people retreat and evacuate. Prevent stampede accidents.”
Traffic risks cannot be ignored
Studying abroad, away from family members, overseas students need to face the complicated new environment alone. Among them, traffic safety is an important aspect of studying abroad. Chinese students are often unfamiliar with local traffic laws, unfamiliar road conditions, dangerous driving behaviors, bad habits, etc., resulting in increased safety hazards and frequent traffic accidents.
Recently, according to Canadian media reports, a pickup truck collided with a minivan on a highway near the town of Ayr, Ontario, Canada, killing two people and injuring many others. King’s College affiliated to the University of Western Ontario confirmed that the two deceased were Chinese students at the school. The college announcement said that due to the holiday this week, the student should have had an accident while traveling. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
Sadly, such incidents are not unique. A few months ago, an off-road vehicle rolled over in a recreational area in southern California, USA, killing one Chinese student in the car and injuring three other Chinese students. According to US media reports, the police judged that the vehicle the four students were riding in may have lost control when going uphill and overturned or rolled over. Located near the U.S.-Mexico border, this recreational area is a frequent destination for extreme off-road enthusiasts for sand racing events. There have been many accidents and dangers here before.
There are thousands of roads, and safety is the first priority. Recently, two traffic accidents occurred in Waikato, New Zealand, resulting in the unfortunate death of two Chinese citizens and serious injuries to two others. The Chinese Consulate-General in Auckland issued a notice reminding Chinese citizens to obey traffic rules, be careful to avoid passing vehicles, and not to drink and drive or use mobile phones while driving. The announcement also pointed out that local roads in New Zealand are curved and undulating, and some road sections are in poor road conditions. Driving habits and traffic rules are quite different from those in China. Driving with the right rudder and driving on the left, traffic safety risks cannot be ignored.
Prevent social security risks
“At present, there are many unstable factors in the international environment. Affected by the new crown pneumonia epidemic, social contradictions and the public security situation have become more complex and worse, and Chinese students are also facing more severe challenges.” Wang Xuejun said, “For international students, it is necessary to Pay close attention to the national conditions of the place where you study abroad, as well as the environment and public security conditions in the surrounding areas of the school and residence.”
Not long ago, a number of Chinese students suffered flat tires while renting a car in Barcelona, Spain to travel to other cities. It turned out that the criminal gang damaged the tires at the gas station and followed them all the way. After the tire burst, the criminal gang pretended to be a police officer to ask questions, wait for an opportunity to rob, and leave quickly after they succeeded. In this regard, the Chinese Consulate General in Barcelona reminds Chinese citizens to be vigilant when refueling, using toilets, dining and shopping in the rest area of the expressway, keeping personal belongings in hidden places in the car, always paying attention to the situation of the vehicle, and paying attention to whether the surroundings of the vehicle are not. There are suspicious people.
Such cases have also occurred frequently in other countries. Recently, there have been frequent public security cases in the Netherlands. The Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands issued an announcement reminding Chinese citizens in the Netherlands to pay special attention to theft and robbery at airports, train stations, trains and hot spots, be alert to gangs committing crimes, and avoid distracted attention. Property stolen. If tourists rent a car to play, they should avoid putting valuables, especially electronic products, in the car or trunk when leaving the car. In case of emergencies such as theft and robbery, you should report to the police in time, and pay attention to collecting clues.
Regarding how to prevent social security risks, Wang Xuejun suggested: “Keep away from relatively dangerous times, places, and crowds. From a time period, nighttime is more dangerous than daytime, especially in the early morning, which is the most dangerous time period; from a regional perspective, Relatively unsafe areas include areas not covered by cameras, remote places, and narrow and closed spaces. In the event of a robbery, the most important thing is to ensure your personal safety. You can temporarily compromise and show weakness until you confirm that you and the criminals are already After a safe distance, call the police in time.”
[Editor in charge: Liu Yang]