From training residents to balancing the different roles in life, WO1(V) Jacqueling Chua has dedicated decades to building a more resilient community.
In a fast-paced world where one’s value is often measured by personal productivity, WO1(V) Jacqueling Chua measures hers by the lives she impacts. For twenty years, Jacqueling has been a steadfast volunteer with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF)’s Civil Defence Auxiliary Unit (CDAU). Her involvement with SCDF traces back even further to 1987, when she attended civil defence training as an SCDF volunteer. Now 53, Jacqueling serves as a Public Education Officer (PEO), embodying the belief that volunteering is truly a duty of the heart.
The driving force behind Jacqueling’s decades-long commitment stems from a realisation she had during her training in the late 1980s – the idea that time is precious in an emergency. As it is commonly known, the golden hour refers to the critical first hour after a serious injury, when prompt medical treatment is more likely to save a life. In the context of a cardiac arrest, the survival rate decreases approximately 7-10% for every minute without Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). This encourages her to step forward to spread the public education, ensuring that when emergency happens, more people can proactively step forward to assist. For Jacqueling, preparing oneself to save a life is a fundamental duty.
Jacqueling joined the CDAU when it was officially formed in 2006, initially drawn to the SCDF uniform, which she found was aesthetically pleasing. But she soon found that donning it has a deeper meaning as it embodies not only a collective identity and but also serves as an ethos of Civil Defence readiness.
Nowhere was this sense of pride more evident than at the 2024 National Day Parade, where she was part of the Volunteer Marching Contingent marching alongside other volunteers with a Compressed Air Foam gun. Despite the sweltering heat during trainings, Jacqueling felt an immense sense of purpose. “You feel proud to be there, to do something for the country,” she reflects.
For 20 years, Jacqueling has managed what she calls the “big plates” of life: her professional career (previously she was an operations specialist), her family life, her volunteer role as a PEO and Community First Responder (CFR). Though her family occasionally fretted over her busy volunteering schedule, Jacqueling’s devotion never wavered and remained committed to the call.
Her readiness was put to the test close to home when she used her home fire extinguisher to extinguish a neighbour’s unit fire. Thanks to her training and quick thinking, she ensured her neighbour’s safety. It was a moment that showed her family just how invaluable her life-saving skills are.
While much of her time is devoted to serving others, Jacqueling understands that readiness begins with herself. Although she enjoys swimming for leisure, she often challenges herself to swim up to 20 laps to train and maintain her stamina. She also finds peace in nature photography, using her Nikon camera to capture beautiful natural scenery. These activities are not only relaxing, they also form part of her life, powering her to be at her best so she can continue to assist others when needed.
One of the most rewarding aspects of Jacqueling’s long service is the unspoken connection she shares with those who have the same heart for service. She recalls a memorable incident where she responded as a CFR to a cardiac arrest alert via the SCDF myResponder mobile application.
She arrived at the incident location with a colleague by chance. Although they had not attended to an incident together before, they were able to work collaboratively to provide immediate assistance, with one attending to the patient whilst the other bringing the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to the location.
This collaborative coordination to save a life is built on mutual trust and a shared mission and turned a high-pressure situation into a moment of meaningful achievement.
As a PEO, Jacqueling focuses on SCDF outreach events like Safety and Security Day (S&S Day) and Community Resilience (CR) Day. In these roles, she meets residents and empowers them with life-saving knowledge. She also serves as the Chairman of the Community Emergency and Engagement (C2E) Committee for Changi Simei, where she organises courses to prepare residents for emergencies.
She believes that education is the key to community resilience. By teaching the residents skills like CPR, using of AED, and first aid skills, she ensures that the heart of assistance spreads throughout the neighbourhood. She views her role as preparing the residents so that the very first line of response, the bystander, is strong and ready to handle emergency situations.
Despite her decades of service, Jacqueling remains deeply humble. “I don’t call myself a hero,” she says, “I am just giving whatever I can.” To her, a hero is simply an ordinary person who decides to step forward when help is needed.
She points to the recent examples of migrant workers who have rescued children from ledges as the true embodiment of this spirit. They may not have formal training, but they possess the most vital qualification – the heart and courage to step up and render assistance.
As she looks to the future, Jacqueling hopes to inspire more people to join the CDAU. Her advice to everyone is grounded in practicality: invest time in building skills and training, because readiness makes all the difference. Jacqueling Chua’s volunteering journey stands as a quiet testament to altruism in action. More than a uniform, what she wears represents a steadfast commitment to service, one she has upheld with purpose for two decades.
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