Firefighter

Does the idea of plunging into a fire scene to save lives excite you? Do you fancy working with sophisticated fire-fighting equipment

We had probably played with toy fire engines as young children. We may also have been awestruck by the sight of firefighters in action, fully attired in their jackets and helmets, ready to fight fire with huge oxygen tanks on their backs and hoses in their hands. We may even have seen movies featuring them, the latest being Hong Kong star Nicholas Tse’s “As The Light Goes Out” in 2013.

However, what does it mean to be a firefighter in Singapore? What does it take to become a firefighter?

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) is the principal force for fighting fires and conducting rescue operations. It was formed in 1989 with the merger of the original Singapore Civil Defence Force and the Singapore Fire Brigade.

In addition, there are two major training schools and a Marine Command in charge of fire-fighting operations at sea.

To become a firefighter, one must undergo three months of basic training at the National Service Training Institute, where one is trained in fundamental rescue techniques using different equipment such as spreaders and airbags. After basic training, one moves on to the Civil Defence Academy for training as a firefighter.

It is during training that one learns about teamwork, for every minute counts during fire and rescue operations. Packing and unpacking hoses, for example, can be backbreaking work, but with the help of fellow firefighters, it is made much easier.

Those who aspire to take command in the SCDF can also attend a further 24-week course as Fire and Rescue Specialists or a 30-week course to become Senior Officers.

Qualified firefighters and leaders are then posted to fire stations. They are organised into shifts. Each shift, or rota, is on duty for 24 hours. During this time, the firefighters stay in stations, ready to be on call to respond to all kinds of emergencies, ranging from kitchen fires to road accidents, and even to calls for help from those trapped in lifts.

There are also those who specialise in dangerous rescue missions, such as high-rise rescue operations and operations involving collapsed structures, such as the Nicoll Highway disaster in 2004. This is the Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART), whose members are the elites of the SCDF. DART members undergo a selection test and a 10-week conversion course, before joining DART. DART members are identified by the DART Flash worn on their shoulders of their uniform.

Being a firefighter means that one must be ready for action while on duty, dealing with emergencies such as fires or people trapped in buildings or other confined spaces. However, when one gets to help others every day and even save lives while at work, one can derive great satisfaction, and intense excitement, in a firefighter’s job.