The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) is an uniformed organisation in
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
under the
Ministry of Home Affairs
An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs.
Lists of current ministries of internal affairs
Named "ministry"
* Ministry ...
that provides
emergency services
Emergency services and rescue services are organizations that ensure public safety and health by addressing and resolving different emergencies. Some of these agencies exist solely for addressing certain types of emergencies, while others deal wit ...
such as
firefighting
Firefighting is the act of extinguishing or preventing the spread of unwanted fires from threatening human lives and destroying property and the environment. A person who engages in firefighting is known as a firefighter.
Firefighters typically ...
,
technical rescue
Technical rescue is the use of specialised tools and skills for rescue, including vehicle extrication, confined space rescue, rope rescue, trench rescue, structural collapse rescue, water rescue, and wilderness search and rescue. These often requi ...
, and
emergency medical services
Emergency medical services (EMS), also known as ambulance services or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to definitive care. ...
, and coordinates national
civil defence
Civil defense ( en, region=gb, civil defence) or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state (generally non-combatants) from man-made and natural disasters. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, mit ...
programme.
History
Singapore's first Fire Committee was formed in 1855. Prior to this, fires were attended to by uniformed groups which included the police, sepoys, marine soldiers and even convicts. On 7 September 1869, the Governor Major-General
Sir Harry St. George Ord enacted the Fire Ordinance and appointed the Colonial Engineer as Chairman of the Fire Commission for Singapore. This Fire Commission was however later disbanded in 1884 due to poor organisation and difficult circumstances. In 1888, the Singapore Fire Brigade was established as a fully-equipped professional brigade with sufficient funding. By 1909, there were a total of three built stations servicing Singapore, namely
Central Fire Station at Hill Street, Cross Street and Kallang Fire Stations. In 1980, the brigade was officially renamed the Singapore Fire Service (SFS).
In 1970, on the basis of elements of the SPF's Vigilante Corps, raised in the early 1960s, the Police Civil Defence Force was created under the purview of the
Singapore Police Force
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) is the national and principal law enforcement agency responsible for the prevention of crime and law enforcement in the Republic of Singapore. It is the country's lead agency against organised crime; human, wea ...
. In 1982, the National Civil Defence Plan was launched which spearheaded the emergency preparedness for the nation at large and as a consequence of this plan majority of the SPF-VC's serving personnel joined the SPF-PCDF, which the plan designated as the nation's primary organization for civil defence and disaster response. With the enactment of the Civil Defence Act in 1986, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), by now separate from the SPF proper, was established as an organisation under the Ministry of Home Affairs. In the same year, the
Hotel New World disaster
The collapse of the Hotel New World was a civil disaster that occurred in Singapore on 15 March 1986. The Hotel New World was a six-storey building situated at the junction of Serangoon Road and Owen Road in the Rochor district when it suddenly ...
paved the way for joint operations between the SCDF and SFS. The SCDF and SFS were merged on 15 April 1989 into one organization.
The newly integrated SCDF mainly used facilities which were handed over from the
Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) or the Singapore Police Force (SPF). Since the early 2000s, its headquarters and territorial divisions have all moved into purpose-built facilities. SCDF's involvement in regional disaster relief operations has also raised its profile significantly.
On 18 January 2009, SCDF was classified by
INSARAG
The International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) is a network of disaster-prone and disaster-responding countries and organizations dedicated to urban search and rescue (USAR) and operational field coordination. It aims to establish s ...
as a heavy
urban search and rescue
Urban search and rescue (abbreviated as USAR or US&R) is a type of technical rescue operation that involves the location, extrication, and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in an urban area, namely structural collapse due to natu ...
team, the highest level of urban search and rescue service.
Organisation structure
SCDF is led by the Commissioner of the SCDF and three deputy commissioners, each in charge of Strategy & Corporate Services, Operations & Resilience and Future Technology & Public Safety. The SCDF is organised with one headquarter element commanding seven divisions. Of the latter, four (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Divisions) are territorial divisions; another two are training divisions, namely the Civil Defence Academy (CDA) and National Service Training Centre (NSTC) and can be activated as the 5th and 6th Divisions respectively in times of emergency; the eighth is the
Marine Division, which was set up on 1 April 2012 with the capability and capacity to respond to marine fire and rescue incidents.
Leadership
Staff departments
Operations & Resilience
Future Technology and Public Safety
Strategy and Corporate Services
Headquarters
![SCDF HQ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/SCDF_HQ.jpg)
HQ SCDF is located on Ubi Ave 4. The Central Supply Base, Operations Centre as well as Paya Lebar Fire Station are all located within the same complex with the Administration Building.
DART Central Base is also co-located within Paya Lebar Fire Station.
Operational divisions
![Singapore_Central-Fire-Station-01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Singapore_Central-Fire-Station-01.jpg)
Each territorial division is given territorial responsibility of a region of Singapore, and possesses its own command centre, hazmat capabilities, and internal administration.
Specialist units
Training divisions
The Civil Defence Academy (CDA) conducts training for the various vocations and specialisations within the SCDF, including the Section Commander Course (SCC) and Rota Commander Course (RCC).
The National Service Training Centre (NSTC) conducts training for national servicemen. It consists of the Basic Rescue Training Branch (BRTB), which conducts basic training for new enlistees in basic rescue skills and fitness, and the In-Camp Training Branch (ICTB), which trains Operationally Ready NSmen. Tucked in a corner of NSTC is the Civil Defence Detention Barracks under the purview of the SCDF Provost Unit. Detainees from both SCDF and SPF are detained here throughout the duration of their detention. Subunits of the Provost Unit are also housed here.
The Home Team Tactical Centre provides an additional training ground for trainees to experience. It replaces the Mandai Training Village which has since been demolished.
List of appliances
The SCDF maintains a large fleet of custom-made vehicles (referred to as appliances) that are capable of mitigating a variety of incidents. Many of the appliances were designed and commissioned by the SCDF rather than ready-made designs.
Paramedical response vehicles
Ambulance
![Singapore Central-Fire-Station-04](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Singapore_Central-Fire-Station-04.jpg)
The
ambulance
An ambulance is a medically equipped vehicle which transports patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport.
Ambulances are used to respond to medi ...
forms the backbone of Singapore's medical emergency response capability and is the most widely deployed appliance. Each ambulance is staffed by up to 2 emergency medical technicians (1 serves as a driver) and 1 paramedic. Medic trainees from the
Singapore Armed Forces
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are the military services of the Republic of Singapore, responsible for protecting and defending the security interests and the sovereignty of the country. A military component of the Ministry of Defence (MINDE ...
are also sent for attachment with these Ambulances. The latest 7th Generation ambulances comes with a self-decontamination system which is capable of decontaminating the ambulance when needed.
Medical Support Vehicle (MSV)
The Medical Support Vehicle (MSV) is a truck that is designed to provide on-site treatment capabilities for mass casualty incidents. On reaching the incident site, it is able to fold out and expand to form a mobile aid station to perform on-site stabilization and critical invasive medical treatment. In addition, MSVs are loaded with a larger inventory of medical equipment so as to manage mass-casualty incidents.
Firefighting appliances
Fire Bike
The
Fire Bike
A fire bike is a motorcycle used by a fire department. Several countries around the world use fire bikes, often to beat traffic congestion, and the equipment carried ranges from simple extinguishers to jet guns with hose rigs. Firefighters also ...
, also known as the Red Scorpion, is a three-wheeled
Piaggio MP3
The Piaggio MP3 (''Moto Piaggio a 3 ruote'', "Piaggio moto with 3 wheels") is a tilting three-wheeled scooter by Italian manufacturer Piaggio. First marketed in 2006, it is noted for its combination of two front wheels and a single rear wheel.
...
that carries a single firefighter. They are able to navigate traffic to provide a faster initial response to emergencies. The Fire Bike carries a
compressed air foam backpack which can extinguish handle smaller conflagrations such as household and vehicle fires. It is also equipped with an
automated external defibrillator
An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation (VF) and pulseless ventricular tachycardia, and is able to treat them thro ...
to respond to medical emergencies in concert with an ambulance.
Light Fire Attack Vehicle (LFAV)
![SCDF LF5G 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/SCDF_LF5G_2.jpeg)
The Light Fire Attack Vehicle (LFAV), also known as the Red Rhino, was first introduced in 2000. It is designed to be more compact than a traditional fire engine, allowing it to be stationed at a larger variety of locations.
The most recent iteration is the 6th generation, unveiled in 2022 at the SCDF Workplan Seminar. Instead of the traditional 4-man crew in the previous LFAV generations, the 6th generation carries a robot named the Red Rhino Robot (3R) which fits in the rear passenger compartment. The 3R conducts reconnaissance operations to locate the seat of fire through the use of thermal imaging and relay the information to the operator, who can then direct firefighting operations. The robot is able to mitigate a fire within confines of approximately 15m
2.
Pump Ladder (PL)
![CAF pumper](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/CAF_pumper.jpg)
The Pump Ladder (PL) is the workhorse
fire engine
A fire engine (also known in some places as a fire truck or fire lorry) is a road vehicle (usually a truck) that functions as a firefighting apparatus. The primary purposes of a fire engine include transporting firefighters and water to an i ...
of the SCDF. It carries 2,400 litres of water and 1,200 litres of foam, along with other rescue and firefighting equipment. The PL is also equipped to set up hasty decontamination facilities for a chemical incident. The decontamination lanes can be set up within four minutes, and each lane is able to decontaminate up to 36 walking casualties or six lying casualties per hour. The Generation E of the PL features a compress air foam pump.
Combined Platform-Ladder (CPL)
![SCDF Combined Platform Ladder CPL441](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/SCDF_Combined_Platform_Ladder_CPL441.jpg)
The Combined Platform-Ladder (CPL) is a hydraulic ladder-platform truck which is used to conduct external firefighting and rescue operations involving high-rise buildings. There are several variants of CPL in SCDF, the largest being the CPL60 which can extend its platform ladder up to a maximum height of 60 metres, the equivalent of a 20-storey building. Its platform is equipped with a water monitor capable of discharging water at the rate of 3,800 litres per minute, and a rescue cage that can hold up to 500 kg.
Aerial Ladder (AL)
The Aerial Ladder (AL) is a ladder truck used in the SCDF for aerial firefighting and rescue. It has an operational height of 56 metres.
Fire and Rescue Operations Support Tender (FROST)
![Singapore Civil Defence Force Fire Medical Vehicle during 2019 National Day Parade](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Singapore_Civil_Defence_Force_Fire_Medical_Vehicle_during_2019_National_Day_Parade.jpg)
The Fire and Rescue Operations Support Tender (FROST) is a support appliance that provides additional sets of
self-contained breathing apparatus
A self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), sometimes referred to as a compressed air breathing apparatus (CABA) or simply breathing apparatus (BA), is a device worn to provide breathable air in an atmosphere that is immediately dangerous to ...
, thermal imaging cameras, gas detectors and smoke and water extraction functions to facilitate difficult or prolonged rescue operations.
It was designed to consolidate the functions of the previous Breathing Apparatus Tender (BAT) and Damage Control Tender (DCT), halving the total manpower needed for these functions from eight to four.
Tracked Firefighting Vehicle (TFV)
![SCDF Bush FireFighting Module](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/SCDF_Bush_FireFighting_Module.jpg)
The Tracked Firefighting Vehicle (TFV) is a
Bandvagn 206
Bandvagn 206 (Bv 206) (meaning ''"Tracked Vehicle 206"'' in English) is a tracked articulated, all-terrain carrier developed by Hägglunds (now part of BAE Systems Platforms & Services) for the Swedish Army. It consists of two units, with all f ...
that is used in forested areas where wheeled vehicles may have difficulty navigating. These vehicles were transferred from the
Singapore Armed Forces
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are the military services of the Republic of Singapore, responsible for protecting and defending the security interests and the sovereignty of the country. A military component of the Ministry of Defence (MINDE ...
to the SCDF and subsequently repainted and fitted with firefighting equipment and capabilities.
Modular Oil Tank Firefighting System (MOTFS)
The Modular Oil Tank Fire-Fighting System (MOTFS) is an oil tank fire fighting system capable of discharging large volumes of foam for large-scale fires, up to 100,000 litres per minute. It is also capable of drafting water supply directly from open sources such as the sea or marine vessels. It is also designed in a modular form to speed up deployment to match the scale of the incident.
Unmanned Firefighting Machine (UFM)
The Unmanned Firefighting Machine (UFM) is a remote controlled fire-fighting unit built to operate in extreme heat and hazardous environments, by using high velocity airflow to create ventilation in smoke-logged areas, and intense water mist, jet or foam to put out fires. It was first launched in April 2014. In 2015, the UFM added a rail kit to enable the unit to manoeuvre in
Mass Rapid Transit tunnels at up to 40 km/h to put out fires and conduct ventilation operations.
Pumper Firefighting Machine
The custom-built Pumper Firefighting Machine can traverse up and down a staircase, fit into passenger lifts and penetrate through premises with a maximum temperature of 250-degree Celsius for up to 10 minutes. Other unique features include a rotating nozzle that can project water mist in 360-degree angles to quickly lower room temperatures and a high pressure hose reel with a built-in water tank that can allow firefighters to quickly initiate firefighting operations at incidents. Its resistance to heat also means that firefighters will be less exposed to risk during firefighting operations.
Hazmat appliances
Hazmat Mitigation Vehicle
The Hazmat Mitigation Vehicle (HMV) is a
hazardous materials apparatus
250px, The Santa Barbara Fire Department Hazmat vehicle staged at an incident.
A hazardous material (hazmat) apparatus is a vehicle used by emergency services to respond to calls involving potentially hazardous materials. These vehicles are cust ...
that transports Hazmat personnel and their equipment to an incident site. The HMV carries a Hazmat Utility Buggy (HUB) in the rear of the appliance, where it can be unloaded to assess incident developments, transport equipment and convey casualties out of the hazard area.
Hazmat Decon Pod
The Hazmat Decon Pod conducts environmental decontamination by sucking in contaminated air and purifying it at a high rate to remove hazardous material and render an area more hospitable for work following a
chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear
Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence (CBRN defence) are protective measures taken in situations in which chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear warfare (including terrorism) hazards may be present. CBRN defence consist ...
incident.
Mass Decontamination Vehicle (MDV)
The Mass Decontamination Vehicle (MDV) is a large bus that is able to transport personnel and equipment, perform the decontamination of a large number casualties, and convey the casualties to the hospital.
Hazmat Control Vehicle
The Hazmat Control Vehicle carries a chemical detector to detect and monitor chemical release from up to 5 km away. It is also fitted with a launchpad for
unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controller ...
s to extend the range and altitude of its chemical detection capabilities.
Command elements
Command Vehicle (CV) and Forward Command Vehicle (FCV)
The Command Vehicle (CV) functions as a mobile headquarters command and control centre. The vehicles are the size of a large bus, and when deployed, the body of the vehicle stretches to thrice its size on the road, allowing ample space inside the vehicle for personnel and essential computer and communications equipment. CVs are deployed to strategic locations to provide forward tactical headquarters capability in major incidents or high-risk events.
Hazmat Command Vehicle (HCV)
The Hazmat Command Vehicle (HCV) is a command post specifically designed for command and control during a CBR incident. It is equipped for this task with a wide array of instruments and sensors which can, for example, monitor and help predict toxic material presence and dispersion in the wind.
Special vehicles
DART Rescue Vehicle (DRV)
The DART Rescue Vehicle (DRV) is a specialised appliance of the
Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team
The Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) is the elite unit of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) that specialises in complex incidents such as technical rescue, urban search and rescue, Search and rescue, water rescue operations and pr ...
designed for
urban search and rescue
Urban search and rescue (abbreviated as USAR or US&R) is a type of technical rescue operation that involves the location, extrication, and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in an urban area, namely structural collapse due to natu ...
. It carries a personnel cabin and can accommodate up to eight DART officers with their equipment. The DRV is equipped with a crane with a load capacity of 7.9 tonnes. It is primarily used to load other rescue vehicles like the DART skid loader, which is used to access confined spaces in collapsed buildings.
Fireboats
![Chemical spill simulation, Singapore, 2013](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Chemical_spill_simulation%2C_Singapore%2C_2013.jpg)
In 2012, the Singapore Civil Defence Force took over responsibility from the Maritime Port Authority for fighting maritime fires.
[ By 2019, the ]SCDF Marine Division
The SCDF Marine Division is a division of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) that is in-charge of marine fire and rescue operations in Singapore waters. Its duties include the marine firefighting and maritime search and rescue operations in ...
had retired some old fireboats, and added six new modern vessels, bringing the size of the firefighting fleet to eight vessels.[ One of the new vessels, the ''Red Sailfish'', is the most powerful fireboat in the world so far.
]
Operation Lionheart
SCDF maintains a rescue contingent on 24-hour standby under the codename Operation Lionheart to provide rescue and humanitarian assistance and support to countries stricken by major disasters. Since its formation in 1990, the Operation Lionheart contingent had responded to multiple overseas missions.
Below is the breakdown of the missions:
Ranks
;Officers
;Warrant officers
;Other ranks
In popular culture
Fictional television programs:
* ''Fiery Passion'' (烈焰焚情), 12 February 1992
* ''On the Frontline'' (穿梭生死线), 2000
* ''Life Line'', 2005
* ''Without Warning'', 26 October 2006
* ''Life Line 2'', 15 May 2007
* ''Rescue 995
''Rescue 995'' is a 20-episode drama serial which debuted on Singapore's free-to-air Chinese language channel, MediaCorp TV Channel 8 in February 2012. It stars Jeanette Aw, Tay Ping Hui, Pierre Png, Yvonne Lim & Ng Hui as the casts of this seri ...
'' (九九五), 6 February 2012
* ''In Safe Hands'' (守护星), 7 March 2022
Incidents
Misconduct
On 19 December 2011, former commissioner Peter Lim Sin Pang was arrested on graft charges in connection with an IT contract. Lim was dismissed from service in August 2013. He was sentenced to jail for six months.
On 13 May 2018, full-time national serviceman Corporal Kok Yuen Chin drowned in a fire station's pump well during a ragging
Ragging is the term used for the so-called "initiation ritual" practiced in higher education institutions in the Indian subcontinent, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. The practise is similar to hazing in North America, in Fra ...
incident when his colleagues attempted to celebrate his transition to an operationally ready reservist. Those involved were arrested, charged in court and jailed. Two of them have been dismissed from service.
Fatalities
On 9 December 2022, full-time national serviceman Corporal Edward H Go (Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
: 吴宏泽; pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''Wú Hóngzé'') fell unconscious during a firefighting operation at a residential building in Bukit Merah; he was later pronounced dead in hospital. Reported by the press as being the first SCDF member to have died during an operation, Go was posthumously promoted to Sergeant(1) and granted a ceremonial funeral.
SCDF Commissioner Eric Yap paid tribute to Sgt (1) Edward Go on his ceremonial funeral and said in his speech that he offered condolences to Sgt (1) Go’s family, loved ones and friends, adding that his death has also hit those in the SCDF hard. "We will remember Sgt Edward’s selflessness, professionalism and commitment. For those of us who knew him personally, they will remember how proud he was to be a firefighter,” the commissioner added further.[https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/fallen-nsf-firefighter-edward-go-promoted-scdf-holds-observance-ceremony]
See also
* Civil defence by nation
Many countries around the world have civil defense organizations dedicated to protecting civilians from military attacks and providing rescue services after widespread disasters. In most countries, civil defense is a government-managed and often v ...
* Civil Defence Auxiliary Unit
The Civil Defence Auxiliary Unit (CDAU) is part of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) consisting of uniformed volunteers.
The volunteering programme in SCDF was first started in 1982 under the National Civil Defence Plan and Volunteer Scheme ...
* Compulsory Fire Service
* National Service in Singapore
National Service (NS) is the national policy in Singapore mandated by statutory law that requires all male Singaporean citizens and second-generation permanent residents to serve a period of compulsory service in the uniformed services. It was ...
* National Civil Defence Cadet Corps
The National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC) of Singapore was formed in 2005 and is currently the newest recognised member of the National Uniformed Group. The creation of this Uniformed Group was initiated by the Ministry of Home Affairs in r ...
* SAMU, an equivalent organisation in France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
References
;Citations
;Bibliography
* Joan Hon (1988). ''100 Years of the Singapore Fire Service''. Times Books International. .
External links
*
{{authority control
1982 establishments in Singapore
Emergency services in Singapore
Fire departments
Organisations of the Singapore Government