Archive

Honouring and Remembering SCDF’s Fallen Heroes

Clicking and rustling could be heard in the drill yard of the fire station, as fire helmets were unbuckled and taken off. The firefighters held their helmets firmly tucked under their left arms and a few of them lightly touched the red and blue ribbons that were pinned on their fire jackets. For a moment, the air was silent and still, as the SCDF officers bowed their heads in unison and honoured the emergency responders who have fallen in the line of duty. They may no longer be with us, but their sacrifices will never be forgotten.

Exercise Northstar XI: The Epilogue

On 22 March 2023, more than 300 personnel from various agencies, including the SCDF, Singapore Police Force (SPF), Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), JTC Corporation, ExxonMobil, Keppel Infrastructure, Jurong Port Universal Terminal (JPUT), Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Ministry of Health (MOH), and Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX), took part in Exercise Northstar XI at Jurong Island.

Our People Our Pride: Beyond the Call of Duty

On the evening of 14 April 2023, eager whispers could be heard from the Istana lawn, where over 400 guests had gathered. SCDF officers, volunteers and strategic partners were there for the SCDF Garden Reception, which commemorates SCDF Day, marking the merger of the Singapore Fire Service and SCDF on 15 April 1989. At the same time, SCDF officers who went beyond the call of duty to keep Singapore safe were also given recognition for their dedication and commitment to duty. The event was graced by President Halimah Yacob.

LTA Khoo Chong Wee, Emergency Readiness Officer (left) and Ms Khoo Swee Giang, Lead Psychologist (right)

A Lifesaving Mission that Transcends Borders (Part 2)

In this concluding segment of our two-part feature on SCDF's Operation Lionheart (OLH) mission in Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye, Rescue995 spoke to Colonel (COL) Chew Keng Tok, Commander of the OLH Contingent, and officers from the Emergency Behavioural Sciences & CARE unit (EBSC), Home Team Specialist (HTS) Ms Khoo Swee Giang, Lead Psychologist, and Lieutenant (LTA) Khoo Chong Wee, Emergency Readiness Officer, who reflected on the contingent’s accomplishments and experiences during the deployment.

The SCDF team, a Spanish team and a local team using cutting and breaking equipment at the site

A Lifesaving Mission that Transcends Borders (Part 1)

The Operation Lionheart (OLH) contingent, comprising 68 members and led by COL Chew Keng Tok, Commander of 2nd SCDF Division, returned to Singapore on 18 February 2023, after a 10-day deployment in Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye. The team was deployed to assist in the rescue efforts, following the Türkiye-Syria earthquake on 6 February 2023. Rescue995 spoke to four members of the OLH contingent, who recounted their experiences on the rescue of a child and a man in Kahramanmaraş province, Türkiye. They are LTA Abdul Rashid Bin Abdul Karim, WO1 Fendilato Bin Mohamad Tahir, WO1 Muhammad Faris Bin Mohammad and SGT3 Tamimi Bin Mohamad Mamsi.

[From left to right] LTC (NS) Nicholas Lee, AC Kadir Maideen, and SGT2 (NS) Shawn Quek Source: HomeTeamNS

For NSmen, by NSmen – Building of the HomeTeamNS Bedok Reservoir Clubhouse

On 4 January 2023, HomeTeamNS celebrated the official opening of its latest clubhouse at HomeTeamNS Bedok Reservoir. As the new waterfront haven opened its doors to members and guests, HomeTeamNS Clubhouse Development Committee (East) Co-Chairman Assistant Commissioner (AC) Kadir Maideen, Vice-Chairman Lieutenant Colonel (NS) Nicholas Lee, and Member SGT2 (NS) Shawn Quek reflected back on their conceptualisation of the HomeTeam NS Clubhouse and their shared vision of how it will serve the Home Team community.

Love is in the Air in The Lifesaving Force

Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate and express our love to that special one who matters the most in our lives. As we celebrate Valentine’s Day, Rescue995 engaged three lovely couples from SCDF who shared with us their romantic journeys.

Sergeant (V) Jean Yves is a new volunteer firefighter in the Civil Defence Auxiliary Unit

Frenchman’s Journey to becoming a Volunteer Firefighter

Meet SGT1 (V) Jean Yves, a newly minted volunteer firefighter in the Civil Defence Auxiliary Unit (CDAU) who works full-time in a pharmaceutical company. SGT1 (V) Jean is French and became a Singapore Permanent Resident (PR) in 2020 after spending 12 years on the sunny island pursuing his doctorate (PhD) in Bioengineering, juggling a full-time career and starting his family. To him, Singapore is more than just a home and he is now proudly serving the nation by volunteering his time in the CDAU as a firefighter.

NS Give Back: Protecting Our Environment and Giving Back to Local Community

Since 1967, National Service (NS) has become an accepted rite of passage for all male citizens and Permanent Residents of Singapore. In SCDF, besides training to protect and save lives and property, NS has also incorporated its focus on sustainability and giving back to the community. In commemoration of 55 years of National Service (NS55), Rescue995 has put together a collage of the NS55 Ground-up Initiatives (GUI) on sustainability that we have accomplished for the year.

Like Father, Like Son

Do you believe that being a lifesaver such as a firefighter or an elite Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) rescuer runs in the family? When one becomes a member of the Lifesaving Force, they become attached to the camaraderie, the thrill and challenges of every mission they are activated for. When their families see how passionate they are in their profession, it piques their interest and thus begins a new “family business” of emergency services.