HSM 2007: Community Bonding Day

September is Singapore's Homefront Security Month. In its third year, it aims to raise awareness as well as reiterate the importance of individuals taking personal responsibility in vigilance and preparedness.

Perhaps one of the most highly anticipated activities in the month's calendar is the Community Bonding Day by the Home Team Sectors (Singapore is divided into 4 sectors - north, south, east & west).

Community Bonding (CB) Day is a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) community outreach programme which is organised primarily to equip the population with the knowledge and skills in community emergency preparedness and life saving, including counter terrorism measures. There are 4 such CB Days - two on 8 September and another two on 9 September. I decided to check out one such CB Day on 9 September. To the 3rd Civil Defence Division I will head!

11am. Yishun MRT station control. When I came out of the station, I caught sight of 2 SCDF personnel in their No 4 uniform. My first instinct? They should be the guys from the fire station. My next reaction? Walk up to them and ask where to take the shuttle bus. Oh, so it's around the corner. They then handed me a brochure of CB Day. Ok, that will keep me occupied till my friend Eugene, who was late, arrived.

A sizeable crowd greeted me when I stepped foot into the 3rd Civil Defence Division. Then this banner greeted me. Hey, the same banner which I saw at the MRT station earlier too. In all honesty, the SCDF, like all other uniformed services, is so efficient. They actually put up directional signs along the way guiding the public to this place. Impressed!

Class 95 DJ Jean Danker was also here to run a special publicity stint for the event. While Jean's voice could be heard at the parade square, we couldn't figure out where she was hiding ... until someone said she was at level 2.

We were promptly given our goodie bag by the reception. So what's inside the goodie bag? Check...a red cap, a mineral water bottle, a biscuit pack, a jelly cup, a sancha (that chinese snack), a pen and a redemption coupon (for games participation).

Then I spotted a familiar face - Cathay. Walked up to him and patted him on the shoulder. Think it took him a while before he recognised me. Probably because I was not in my office attire. Busy day for him too I guess...stressed...hahaha...

At this particular instant, Eugene started getting excited. I thought he saw some babes or discovered a budding Picasso from the 'Children On-The-Spot Art Competition'. Then I saw the reason for his excitement - the static display of emergency vehicles in the parade square. Fire engine, Red Rhino, fire bike, ambulance, amphibious vehicle - you name it, they have it here and more. We gamely posed in front of these lean machines.

By displaying (almost) the entire fleet of emergency vehicles, us visitors can gain an insight into SCDF's operational capabilities. And I guess the best part of the deal is allowing the public to take photos... :)

And then it was my turn to get excited. On a scale of 1 - 5, if Eugene's was a 5, I think mine was a 6! My excitement literally shot past the roof! I spotted the SCDF sky lift.

I love adrenalin pumping moments. It's in my blood. Roller coast, Viking, hurricane rides - you name them, I've tried them. So I was itching to add the SCDF sky lift to my conquest list :)

There was a queue waiting to board the sky life but it didn't deter my determination. Eugene needed some persuasion though but in the end, he gave in to me too...

I was told that the sky lift was able to reach a height of 52m in 45 sec. And it is this capability that allows for a quicker and more efficient high rescue operation to be conducted. Kudos! After the ascent to the sky, it was back to ground zero. Queuing up alongside the children, elderly and grassroots people, we waited in line to try out the Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) segment. We had first hand experience of what SCDF officers had to encounter. The tasks we had to perform included using a giant cutter to cut through a small area of wire mess and lifting a 10kg water container by means of a pulley system. By the time we finished navigating the USAR segment, our stomachs also started growling. A quick time check also revealed that we had spent 2 hrs here. Time really flies! But before we left, I wanted one last momento for keepsake. So here it is...me posing as a fire fighter...with my thumbs up :)

[ Contributed by Mr Lionel Lim who participated in the Community Bonding Day organised by 3rd CD Division]

Some pictures of Community Bonding Day at the 3rd Civil Defence Division