Palace Museum firefighters safeguard country's past

Asked how many fire hydrants there are in the Forbidden City, Du replied instantly, "167", adding, "I could not be more familiar with that number."
Each hydrant is checked four times a year to see if it is operating efficiently, as are the 3,000 extinguishers throughout the museum.

"And don't forget the 308 big copper water tanks," Du added.

The water tanks in the Forbidden City were used as "hydrants" in imperial times. Although the tanks in areas open to the public no longer hold water in case visitors fall in, those in the staff members' areas are still full.

"This will solve the problem of where to get the first bucket of water if a fire occurs," Du said.

Li said he had found many firewalls in the Forbidden City during his checks.
"These walls may look the same as others, but they are thicker," he said.

They can prevent fire spreading to neighboring courtyards. Ancient wisdom is still used in our security system today."

Landmarks protected

The squadron's jurisdiction includes many other national landmarks such as the Tian'anmen Rostrum and the Great Hall of the People, and this means that the firefighters sometimes face a heavier workload, especially during important conferences and festivals.

There is also the National Museum of China, which houses more than 1 million cultural relics, and has a floor area of 192,000-sq-m, one of the biggest in the world.

Du said members of a unit attached to the squadron live in the museum to keep a close eye on the building.

Twelve hydrants are positioned outside. "And 791 more are placed in the walls all over the building," he said. "For such a large construction with so many cultural relics, we need to pay special attention."