Channel NewsAsia - Emergency Planning Roadmap for civil defence executive committees all over S'pore
Posted: 02 September 2007 1232 hrs
SINGAPORE: The Singapore Civil Defence Force and the People's Association will be introducing the Emergency Planning Roadmap to the Civil Defence Executive Committees (CDECs) with workshops for a 1,000 CDEC members, starting in October.
The aim is to ensure all constituencies are ready to handle emergency situations.
As part of the roadmap, there will be more emergency exercises to enhance the preparedness of the 84 CDECs across the island.
Be it a terror attack or a natural disaster, the aim is also for CDECs to be aware of their own facilities which they can use during emergencies.
Dr Teo Ho Pin, Chairman, GPC for Home Affairs and Law, says: "Generally the residents welcome initiatives to better equip themselves to respond to emergencies. But I would say that we need to do more, to make sure everyone builds into their system so that there is a emergency preparedness culture within our residents."
Over at Buona Vista, its Emergency Preparedness Day cum Community Emergency Exercise also saw the launch of plans for a basic framework to encourage such a culture.
And to boost that culture, a Community Engagement Programme-Ready certificate will be given to constituencies.
But first they will have to come up with a list of key grassroots and religious leaders to address any communal tensions.
They will also have to develop their own emergency response plan to such tensions.
The activities, which mark the start of Homeland Security Month, also drove home the message that Singapore needs to be prepared for more than a physical emergency - a point made by Mr Lim Swee Say, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Board Member of the People's Association.
Mr Lim said: "We're getting ready, not just in the form of recovering in terms of the physical damage or damage to our lives. But more importantly how do we prepare ourselves to ensure that the trust in the community, the bond in the community can be preserved, can be protected."
An online tool has also been created at the SCDF website for the public to make an assessment of how ready they really are when an emergency strikes. - CNA/ch/ir
