Singapore Civil Defence Force
Feature

Towards a Safe and Secure Homeland

As the Life Saving Force, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) ensures that highly-trained officers and specialists are ready to respond to life-threatening emergencies round-the-clock.

Towards a Safe and Secure Homeland

As the Life Saving Force, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) ensures that highly-trained officers and specialists are ready to respond to life-threatening emergencies round-the-clock.

A s part of Singapore’s Home Team, the SCDF is dedicated to its mission of protecting and saving lives and property for a safe and secure Singapore. This mission resonated strongly with Mui Chin Nam, who wanted to make a difference to society.

Although Chin Nam studied life sciences in university, he later realised that pursuing a career in the research field would entail monotonous laboratory work and technical reports. Chin Nam knew that he was destined for something much more dynamic and exciting, which led him to discover the Home Affairs Uniformed Services (HUS) Scholarship.

Today, Chin Nam is pursuing his true passion – to protect his country, community, and loved ones. He is leading a team of life savers and responding to real-world threats as a Rota Commander at Tampines Fire Station.

Unparalleled Satisfaction

As a Rota Commander, Chin Nam is responsible for leading a competent and efficient team. He oversees a myriad of aspects, such as ensuring effective operational response, skills competency, personal development, and training safety. Chin Nam also handles the administration, logistics and operations of the fire station.

Another key function of his job is responding to fire and rescue incidents, which can be challenging even for someone tenacious like him. In fact, Chin Nam and his team often face unique obstacles that test their personal strength, teamwork and resilience.

According to Chin Nam, road traffic accidents are the most challenging as they each come with unique circumstances. He recalls attending to an accident involving a motorist, whose foot was stuck in his brake pedal. Although the motorist was conscious, Chin Nam and his team could see that he was getting weaker by the minute. Fortunately, they were able to extricate him from the vehicle with the help of several rescue tools.

“Every minute counts. In such situations, you are racing against time to extricate the victim so that he or she can get immediate medical treatment. With that said, the satisfaction one derives from a successful extrication is certainly unparalleled,” says Chin Nam.

Li Qiaoxi

Mui Chin Nam
HUS (SCDF) Local Merit Scholarship Holder

Rota Commander, Tampines Fire Station

“Apart from handling emergency responses, you will get to see the different facets of the Home Team and the Life Saving Force.”

One Career, Many Opportunities

Recognising that its people are its strength, the SCDF is committed to the all-round development of each officer. Apart from professional training and enrichment courses, officers are also encouraged to sign up for personal developmental programmes.

Opportunities for further education are even offered to officers who have proven themselves capable of assuming higher appointments. SCDF officers are groomed at each stage of their career through mentorship, varied job exposure, and opportunities to participate in overseas missions and exchange programmes.

“A career in the SCDF offers one exposure to a wide range of experiences that cannot be found elsewhere. Apart from handling emergency responses, you will get to see the different facets of the Home Team and the Life Saving Force. You get to meet people from all walks of life and make a positive impact on the community,” adds Chin Nam.

The SCDF also strives to cultivate a supportive and positive environment. As Chin Nam is still relatively new to the Force, he appreciates the valuable guidance he has received from his team of capable and experienced Section Commanders. This is indicative of SCDF’s strong camaraderie, which Chin Nam found highly evident during the 28-week Rota Commander Course.

Chin Nam shares excitedly, “The tough training, the strong bonds formed with my fellow comrades, and the immense satisfaction of tossing our caps in the air during the Commissioning Parade – the whole experience is indescribable!”

A Cut above the Rest

As SCDF officers are often exposed to real-world challenges, tenacity and courage are essential traits in their line of work. At the same time, Chin Nam advises aspiring HUS recipients to possess a willingness to learn.

“Instead of seeing work as purely work, we can see it as a platform to learn. The more you engage yourself, the more you can learn about the Force, the way the Force works and what is expected of an officer. Another important quality is humility. A leader’s humility is very apparent, especially to their superiors, colleagues and subordinates,” says Chin Nam.

Regardless of the appointment or path you choose, a career with the SCDF enables you to make a difference to the lives of citizens.

“SCDF’s life-saving mission is the very reason I decided to embark on this career. If you’d like to join the Life Saving Force, just do your best and don’t look back. Oh, and start training for it!” concludes Chin Nam.