The SCDF Workplan Seminar at The Civil Defence Academy

The SCDF Workplan Seminar at The Civil Defence Academy - Keynote Address by The Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Wong Kan Seng , 15 April 2005

Commissioner James Tan,
SCDF Officers,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening.
The year literally began with a “bang” for the SCDF.During the Asian Tsunami Disaster in late December last year, the SCDF responded quickly and simultaneouslysent two separate rescue contingents to Aceh, Indonesiaand Khao Lak, Thailand, totaling 130 men.This was the largest ever SCDF overseasoperational deployment.

2 The ability of the SCDF to undertake these operations overseas underlines how much the SCDF has grown in professionalism over the years. Singaporeans are assured of a SCDF which is technically well equipped, and well-trained to high and exacting standards.It is operationally ready to deployas an effective force at very short notice.

3 The SCDF must always endeavour to sustain that trust and confidence it has earned from both Singaporeans and others in the region.To do this, it must continue to instill professional excellence in its men, invest in technology and improve its operations.While we do hope that we will be spared more such natural calamities, the recent Sumatra earthquake suggests that realistically we need to be prepared for more shocks.

Staying Ahead through Change and Innovation

4 One of the achievements which the SCDF can be rightly proud of is its spirit of enterprise which has manifested itself in various innovations to deal with the challenges it faces on the ground. These innovations have included the Light Fire Attack Vehicle (LFAV), the Personnel Decontamination Vehicle (PDV), the Station With Immediate First-Aid and Treatment(SWIFT) and the Watermist Gun (WMG).

5 There will always be new challenges.Some may require a strategic shiftin your development and lead you into new areas of responsibility.This is clearly the case in terms of your role in homefront security in the face of the terroristthreat.Other areas are perhaps more immediate and tactical.For instance, in thelast few months, we have encountered a record spate of bush fires.Over 530 bush fires were recorded from January to February, compared to 500 in the wholeof 2004.

6 At first sight, these appear quite straight-forward to deal with.But then, the bush fires happened in terrain which makes it difficult for the SCDF to move its fire-fighting resources close enough and directly enoughfor maximum effect.As such, immense operational resources were poured in to mitigatethese fires. Other agencies like the Housing Development Board, the Singapore Land Authority and the National Parks Board had to be co-opted to deal withthis problem. It is beneficial for SCDF to review how you could deal with similarincidents more effectively in future. Acquiring new capabilities such as an all-terraintracked vehicle for fighting bush fires, for instance, is one area to consider.The related step is also then to look into extending the use of these appliancesbeyond bush fire-fighting purposes to optimise their utility.

7 The SCDF, like the rest of the Home Team, needs to keep pace with the challenges to homeland security that the threat of global terrorism now poses. There is need for closer collaboration. I noted that the first ever joint Open Mobilisation between the SCDF and the Singapore Police Force was successfully conducted last month. In a major disaster, it is likely that both SCDF and Police NSmen would be mobilised to reinforce the regular forces. It is a good move for SCDF and Police to develop a joint mobilisation platform, in addition to their individual mobilisation systems already in place. This demonstrates a new state of readiness shared by both agencies, and also testifies to the close collaboration among Home Team departments.

The SCDF’s Role in Homeland Security

8 SCDF’s efforts have been integral in helping to strengthen the security protection around Singapore. An example of SCDF’s commitment to the containment of the terrorist threat and that of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is the extension of fire-safety regulatory control over non-petroleum based flammable materials. Given today’s security environment, this regulatory power, which covers import, storage and transportation, helps to minimise chances of such hazardous materials falling into the wrong hands. In this light, the SCDF should continue to build on its relationship with the industry to ensure the smooth implementation of such counter-terrorism measures.

9 Another critical security measure, with a similar objective, that has been introduced is the Hazmat Transport Vehicle Tracking System (HTVTS), which will be in operation from 1 July onwards this year. Singapore is one of the few countries in the world to have implemented this security measure.With round-the-clock tracking of all local and foreign-registered vehicles carrying hazardous substances and materials, appropriate counter-measures can be taken promptly in the event of contingencies, especially when the vehicles deviate from their approved routes.

10 I am glad to note that the SCDF has completed formulating the doctrine on mitigating “Dirty Bomb” incidents since I first tasked you to look into it during the Workplan Presentation last year.With this as a foundation, the SCDF should now lead in the development of a national capability, involving other related agencies, such as the Singapore Police Force and the Singapore Armed Forces’ Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit, to further expand our capability to handle unconventional incidents when they occur.

Finding New Ways to Engage and Involve the Public

11 A critical challenge for SCDF in the future is to find new ways to effectivelyengage the public and get them to be better prepared.This is necessary not only because of the need for everyone to be prepared for disasters but also becauseSCDF resources are finite and should be maximised. It is also necessary because a community’s survival ultimately hingeson its resilience.

12 There is a view among some disaster management practitioners that the role of the public in a disaster is essentially to stay out of the way of the professionals who should be left to do their jobs. Increasingly, this view is becoming too simplistic and does not square with the realities of experience. Often, the majority of survivors of disasters are those saved by family members, neighbours and people at the scene. This is an aspect of the disaster story that is often not told.

13 Indeed this is an observation made by the International Red Cross in its World Disasters Report 2004. In its report which focuses on “community resilience”, it called for a shift by disaster management planners from a focus mainly on vulnerabilities and needs to one which looks systematically at developing capacities in communities to cope with disasters.

14 In Singapore, we are fortunate to have a history of community involvement in our Home Team programmes, for example, in fire prevention or emergency preparedness, or in the fight against crime and drug abuse. It is commendable that SCDF has been actively reaching out to various groups in the community to spread the message of emergency preparedness. However, instead of SCDF launching new initiatives to raise the level of emergency preparedness in the community, the community should also be encouraged to take charge. Spearheaded and organised by the Pasir Ris grassroots organisations and supported by Homefront agencies, the Exercise "Heartland Alert” held in June last year is a success story which proves that the community is capable of creating platforms for strengthening their level of preparedness and vigilance.

15 In fact, I have been told that plans for “Heartland Alert II” are already in the pipeline, and I wish to applaud the Pasir Ris grassroots organisations for setting such a positive example for others. In the days ahead, I would like to see even more constituencies and grassroots organisations proactively conducting localised emergency drills for their constituents. SCDF and other relevant Home Team departments will lend the fullest support.

16 Reaching out to the public effectively and getting them on board to take personal responsibility for being ready and prepared for emergencies will be a key challenge for the SCDF in the years ahead. In the current security climate, unless Singaporeans view terrorism as a clear and present danger and take emergency preparedness more seriously, they will not take up the responsibility to do something about it. This is necessary not only because of the limits of our resources, it is necessary also because the survival of our people hinges ultimately on our resilience.

The Challenge -- Getting People Prepared

17 Being prepared makes all the difference. The high death toll from the tsunamiin December last year was largely due to the fact that people in the affectedareas were not prepared for somethinglike this. Other countries like Japan and parts of the USA with greater experienceof tremors and cyclones have been able to minimise their human losses from suchcalamities through appropriate preparatory measures including public education.

18 Even developed countries with much more resources face this greater vulnerability when they are not prepared. Perhaps the saddest illustration of this is in the case of the heatwave in Europe two years ago. The summer in 2003 saw 5 degrees more summer heat than usual. This, however, led to a great tragedy where according to reports, up to 35,000 elderly and vulnerable people died. On hindsight, some observed that early warning from weather observers and simple personal measures like drinking enough cold water may have boosted the resilience of the elderly to excess heat.

19 The level of preparedness among a community is inevitably linked to the readiness of each household. To encourage people to think about the importance of preparedness, the SCDF and the Ministry of Home Affairs recently launched the “My Ready Bag” concept. The fundamental principle of this concept is to encourage individuals to take stock of specific needs of their families and to prepare their own emergency kits.

20 Besides putting together a Ready Bag, individual households should also be familiarised with the contents in the Civil Defence Emergency Handbook to enhance their knowledge on how to deal with various emergencies. The handbook should be available in all households and be included in the Ready Bag. The SCDF has just completed the fifth edition of the Handbook, and will be making it available to the public from this Sunday onwards. While previous editions used to be delivered to the doorsteps of every household, residents will have to visit collection points like RC Centres and Community Clubs to get their copy of the handbook this year. This is the right step in driving across the message that everyone should make it a point to incorporate readiness and vigilance into their lifestyle; the effort taken to collect the handbook is a very tangible and affirmative step in response. As emphasised in the handbook, “Readiness is Our Only Protection”.

21 I know this will be a challenge in our society which has grown comfortable in the knowledge that the Government has always dealt with such threats and emergencies. The sober fact, however, is that no Government can accommodate all needs simply because resources are always finite. The strain on SCDF’s hotline during a blackout is a good example to show that SCDF’s resources are very stretched in emergencies. Some members of the public called for greater hotline capacity during the June blackout last year when in fact, the sensible way to deal with a blackout is to stay in and tune in to the radio to acquire and receive information rather than jamming up the hotlines.

22 Another example is the escalating demands on SCDF’s Emergency Ambulance Services. These demands have been on the rise since 1997. The number of the emergency calls soared to nearly 74,000 last year, compared to around 36,000 calls in 1997. The SCDF will have to find a way to deal with this problem of increasing numbers of emergency calls. A fundamental shift is necessary in the way scarce resources are used because an aging population will pose an enormous strain on the efficiency of the ambulance service if a solution is not found early. On the part of the public, there is a need to be better informed and to understand when to use such emergency resources. Currently, there is no fee imposed on emergency cases. The service is highly subsidised. SCDF should review this to ensure a more equitable sharing of cost by those who can afford to pay for the use of ambulance services.

23 Developing community capacities to deal with crises and disasters is a challenge. But it is a challenge worth investing our energies in because the long-term dividend is a more self-reliant and resilient society. Working closely with the grassroots organisations through the outreach channels you have already established over the years will help facilitate this change among our people.

24 In this connection, your newly set up National Civil Defence Cadet Corps holds much promise. They will be an invaluable resource of young ambassadors of change – they represent a body of young people for you to instill life-long capabilities – an attitude of readiness against adversity and practical skills which will be critical in the face of danger and emergencies.

25 I wish all of you a fruitful year ahead.

Thank you.