On 9th August this year, the National Day Parade (NDP) returned to the Padang as Singapore commemorated its bicentennial since its founding in 1819. For the first time, the NDP featured a combined-volunteer marching contingent from the three uniformed services and this is indeed apt as this year also marks the nation's 150th year of civil defence volunteerism.
Besides volunteers, NDP 2019 also profiled the Merdeka Generation which for SCDF saw several veteran and former SCDF officers who had served since the days of the Singapore Fire Service (SFS), coming together to proudly march in their vintage beige SFS uniform.
Here are a few highlights of the parade where we showcased the Life Saving Force's marching contingents along with our fire-rescue, HazMat, and medical vehicles.
The combined volunteer marching contingent from the three uniformed services. Members of the SCDF's Civil Defence Auxiliary Unit (CDAU) donned the signature SCDF white rescue helmets.
The SCDF marching contingent standing at attention at the National Day Parade at the Padang
The NCDCC marching contingent feeling honoured to be part of the National Day Parade
SCDF veteran servicemen belonging to the Merdeka Generation waving proudly in their vintage beige Singapore Fire Service (SFS) uniform on the kampung house float
Used for overseas humanitarian assistance missions, is none other than the DART USAR Vehicle (DUV)
The Helibucket 5000 (center) collects water in its bucket from open water bodies such as the sea and discharges the water from the base of the bucket at a height onto burning forest or vegetation.
The SCDF three-wheelers Fire Bikes (in red) are capable of extinguishing household fire and vehicle fire. Each bike is equipped with an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) which can be used to revive cardiac arrest patients.
The 5th and 6th Generation Red Rhinos are capable of spectacular firefighting ability. First rolled out in 2000, Red Rhinos are purpose built to be compact so as to be deployed closer to the heart of a fire or rescue incident.
The Unmanned Firefighting Machine (just behind the two Red Rhinos) is a remote-controlled firefighting unit that uses high velocity airflow to create ventilation in smoke-logged areas, and utilises water/foam to put out fires
The Fire Medical Vehicle (front left), parading beside the Ambulance, houses a fire pump behind the driver’s cabin, and the vehicle’s rear white cabin is fitted with a stretcher, four seats, and medical equipment typically found in the ambulance
The Medical Support Vehicle (the white-blue vehicle) is designed to provide enhanced medical support for incidents involving mass casualties
The Mass Decontamination Vehicle (right) is a three-in-one purpose vehicle. It is used to transport personnel and equipment, perform decontamination of casualties at the incident site and convey mass casualties to hospital. The Hazmat Control Vehicle (left) transports and deploys HazMat Specialists to identify hazardous chemicals in an affected area.
The Combined Platform Ladder 60m (CPL60), making its debut appearance in NDP, is able to mitigate fire and conduct rescue operations up to a height of 60m or 20 stories high.
Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) Amphibious Vehicle, or the DAV (the centre vehicle), is used for coastal firefighting and water rescue. It can transit from land to water within 15 seconds, using hydraulic wheel-retracting technology.
The Compressed Air Foam Pump Ladder or better known as fire engines (front vehicle), on the left, is equipped with a slew of firefighting and rescue equipment. Behind the CAF PL, is the DART Rescue Vehicle (DRV), designed for complex missions involving either height, collapsed structure or underwater rescue operations.
