A fine display – The SCDF Parade and Singapore-Global Firefighters and Paramedics Challenge 2018 pitted the skills of SCDF’s units against those of international emergency response professionals.

The SCDF Parade and the finals of the Singapore-Global Firefighters and Paramedics Challenge 2018 were held on 24 November 2018 at Singapore Expo Hall 1.

Reviewed by guest of honour Mrs Josephine Teo, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Home Affairs, the SCDF Parade comprised contingents from various SCDF units, including Operationally Ready National Servicemen, National Civil Defence Cadet Corps and Civil Defence Lionhearters.

In her opening address, Minister Teo said that SCDF needs to do more and do better with less, especially in view of Singapore’s demographic trends of a greying population and slowing workforce growth. With the event’s theme being “A Nation of Lifesavers, Transforming into the Future”, she added that SCDF needs to continually re-invent itself through process innovation, new hardware and community involvement.

Minister Teo launched the new Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) Amphibious Vehicle or DAV, which enhances SCDF’s response to fire and rescue incidents in Singapore’s inland and coastal waters.

Operated by a four-man crew from DART, it can achieve speeds of up to 100km/h on land and 25 knots in the water via its twin jet propulsion system. Using hydraulic wheel-retracting technology, it can transition from land to water mode in 15 seconds.

In the “Global Challenge” segment, WO1 Mohammed Bukhary from DART represented SCDF in the Braveheart Challenge category. He successfully defended his title by completing the challenge in five minutes and 47 seconds – the same timing he achieved in 2016.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services from Western Australia claimed victory in the Rip-It-Off Challenge, ahead of SCDF (2nd) and the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department.