Speech by President Halimah Yacob at 2019 SCDF Volunteer Gala Nite

Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law

Mr Amrin Amin, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Health

Commissioner Eric Yap,

SCDF Volunteers

Ladies and Gentlemen

I am pleased to join you at the first SCDF Volunteer Gala Nite, where we honour the contributions of civil defence volunteers, and celebrate the history of volunteerism in civil defence.

Singapore’s safety and security rely on the strength of our institutions and the resilience of our communities, which is best exhibited through the spirit of volunteerism. This will become ever more important as we face new security challenges.

Community self-help and volunteerism have been an essential part of our nationbuilding. SCDF and its predecessors were pioneers in galvanising community action.

Decades before a professional firefighting force was formed, fires were fought by members of the community. Neighbours would help each other with buckets of water. The Volunteer Fire Brigade was then formed in 1869, and this marked the start of 150 years of organised volunteerism for civil defence. The Brigade’s first members included notable estate owners, such as Mr. William H. Read – the merchant and activist whom Read Bridge was named after.

The Volunteer Fire Brigade’s bravery and passion compensated for the absence of modern equipment. They were activated by gunshots fired from Fort Canning, which provided the vantage point to monitor the break-out of fires in the city. The volunteers fought fires with horse-drawn steam engines – a far cry from the sophisticated equipment and technology used by the SCDF today.

Civil defence volunteers stood firm even during our nation’s most difficult times. When the first bombs fell on Singapore in 1941 and heralded the start of war, volunteers stepped up to serve in the first Auxiliary Fire Service –right up till the British forces surrendered in 1942. These volunteers paid a high price for their valiant efforts when they were thrown into Changi Prison after Singapore fell to the invaders.

The Auxiliary Fire Service was reintroduced in 1952 to augment the capabilities of the professional Singapore Fire Brigade. One of these brave volunteers was Mr Yap Swee Kang, whose wife, daughter, and granddaughter are here today. Mr Yap’s legacy continues to be a positive influence to others, including his daughter and granddaughter, who are both long-time volunteers to social causes.

Today, SCDF volunteers continue to be leaders in the community, and strong advocates of emergency preparedness and SGSecure. Volunteers from the Civil Defence Auxiliary Unit serve alongside regulars in responding to fires and medical emergencies, just like their predecessors in the Auxiliary Fire Service of the 1950s.

This strong community spirit and sense of duty extends to young volunteers from Civil Defence Lionhearter Clubs and National Civil Defence Cadet Corps, who are trained in essential lifesaving skills including basic firefighting, CPR, and first aid. They impart emergency preparedness knowledge and skills to their peers in schools, and to members of the public.

SCDF also works closely with grassroots and other volunteers. Community partnerships and volunteerism are an important part of our national history and identity, and are a cornerstone of national safety and security. Members of the Community and Company Emergency Response Teams render critical assistance during the crucial initial moments of an emergency, by administering CPR and first aid before the arrival of SCDF officers.

Together, these volunteers form a ready pool of Community First Responders who are invaluable partners to the SCDF, to assist Singaporeans in times of emergency. They exemplify the gotong royong spirit, the willingness to care for our neighbours and to lend a helping hand.

Several activities were lined up over the past year to engage volunteers and build up esprit de corps: beginning with the CD Lionhearter Forum 2018, where 281 SCDF volunteers set a record for the ‘Largest Demonstration of Bleeding Control in First Aid’. Two new CD Lionhearter clubs were set up at the Singapore Institute of Technology and Singapore Management University in May and August last year, completing the expansion of the Clubs to all local autonomous universities.

To signal the integral role that SCDF volunteers hold within the community, the annual National Civil Defence Cadet Corps Affirmation Day was held in a public venue for the first time last year. In addition, for the first time in the history of the National Civil Defence Cadet Corps, four Honorary Officers were promoted to the rank of Major in 2018.

The SCDF has taken steps to recognise outstanding volunteers. Starting this year, an annual Outstanding SCDF Volunteer Award will be presented to outstanding SCDF volunteers. One of the pioneer award recipients is Mr Yunnos bin Shariff, a 76-year-old SCDF veteran. After retiring from 41 years of service in the SCDF, Mr Yunnos picked up the mantle as a volunteer with the Civil Defence Auxiliary Unit. Mr Yunnos continues to contribute to civil defence today as a guide at the Civil Defence Heritage Gallery, by sharing his rich trove of experiences, promulgating the tenets of civil defence, and inspiring others to step forward. He even generously donated some vintage fire engine models from his personal collection to the Gallery.

Mr Yunnos holds the proud honour of being our most senior SCDF volunteer, and his passion and dedication to civil defence have clearly stood strong through the years. Let’s put our hands together to thank him for his service, and congratulate him for an award well deserved.

Beyond awards, it is important to ensure that volunteers are well taken care of during and after their contributions in the line of duty. In this regard, I am happy to note that SCDF will provide personal accident insurance coverage for Community First Responders.

In closing, I want to thank past and present volunteers for their bravery and service to the community.

I am happy to see the spirit of volunteerism growing throughout the years. As we commemorate the past 150 years of Civil Defence volunteerism, let’s look forward to more contributions from our volunteers. I strongly encourage more people to step forward, to join this community of everyday heroes and bring us closer to becoming a nation of lifesavers. Thank you.