SCDF Winning First Place in Global Rescue Competition Shows S’poreans in Safe Hands

2018-10-02 , 4:58 pm

Honestly, we owe a lot to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). Apart from putting out raging fires that could have wreaked unimaginable havoc, they are also on the constant lookout for the peoples’ safety, with numerous rescue operations that salvaged dozens of lives.

Truly, they are the heroes we need; but don’t deserve.

Yet, if you thought that it’s impossible to admire them even more, guess what?

The SCDF has just done Singapore proud again.

This time, however, it’s not some particularly risky and life-endangering fire whirlpool. Or some social media wins that they’re famous for.

No, this time, it’s something significantly… as hard to believe as it might be… safer.

SCDF paramedics win global competition.

Ladies and gentlemen, give a round of applause for the team that put our small little country on the global map once again. Truly…

It’s an honour.

The First

Known as the Ferno Australia Paramedic Simulation Challenge (FAPSC), this simulation exercise is held annually and tests the abilities of paramedic forces around the world.

And for the record, the four-member team of Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) paramedics managed to edge out five teams from around the area, and finish as champions.

This is the third time an SCDF team has partaken in the competition, but the first the force actually clinched the gold medal.

“We were the only Asian team there and in some ways we felt we represented Singapore. So we reminded ourselves to stay focused and do our best,” said the team leader, Warrant Officer (WO) Naomi Wee, 28. “This was, after all, similar to our daily job where there is the element of surprise and we have to respond quickly.”

Competition

Held on 21 September, the competition was held in a tent in an open-air carpark, that had been tweaked to resemble a beach.

An accident scenario was implemented in place, and the paramedic teams were tasked to salvage the situation as professionally as they could.

In the accident scenario, a couple had been flung off a jet ski, and the team had to gather information from a fisherman who saw the incident. The woman suffered from a fractured arm and cut on her thigh, while the man was more severely wounded, with head injuries.

Putting forward a valiant example of team effort, the team performed an “endotracheal intubation procedure” on the mannequin representing the man, in the process placing “a tube into the windpipe through the mouth” in an attempt to secure the patient’s airway.

A particularly challenging procedure, the team found it hard despite previous training sessions, citing that they haven’t actually done it in real life before. After all, who would have been flung off a jet ski in Singapore?

The team

Consisting of leader Warrant Officer (WO) Naomi Wee, 28, WO Zane Ang, Staff Sergeant Jason Kwek (both 29) and Lieutenant Noraini Kasbani, 45, the team initially found it a daunting prospect.

“They were tall and big-sized, and we felt physically small. But we reminded ourselves of the people who had invested their time, knowledge and expertise to prepare us for the competition, and we didn’t want to let them down,” WO Wee said, expressing their apprehension when they saw their competitors from New Zealand and Australia.

Having come from different fire stations and divisions across Singapore, the four paramedics spent close to 70 hours off-work hours training for the contest.

They had competed with the hope that clinching the trophy will make the paramedics of Singapore proud.

Well, they had.

Accolades

This isn’t the first competition SCDF did well in this year either. In June this year, SCDF representatives finished runner-up in an Asian emergency medical services contest.

Kudos

For many years, the SCDF has been helping to keep the shores of Singapore safe and sound. And also distinctly dry.

Yet you can’t help but feel that they’ve been rather underappreciated, despite doing the same (if not more) as their more glamorous police and army counterparts.

As such, I’m genuinely glad that they are being recognised, not just on the local stage, but an international platform.

Well done, SCDF. And well done, team. You guys have made not just the paramedics proud, but all of us proud. 🙂