Three armed men entered the nightclub “Neverland” at Clarke Quay with their guns blazing.
Amid
the dizzying lights and pounding music, the atmosphere of the club instantly changed to one of shock and horror.
However, the nightclub staff responded swiftly. They quickly evacuated their guests before the
Singapore
Police Force’s (SPF) Emergency Response Team stepped in to subdue the gunmen.
An armed-knife attacker was taken down by the police as part of Exercise Heartbeat 2017. PHOTO: Nur Amni
Better Equipped When Terror Strikes
According to Mr Tengku Mazlan, General Manager of Neverland Clarke Quay), Exercise Heartbeat had given
him
and his staff a better sense of what to do when a terror attack occurs. “Over the years, we have seen the
number of terror attacks increasing,” he said. “That’s why we have to be prepared.”
This sentiment was echoed by Ms Hannah Goh, a Guest Relations Executive with Privé Clarke Quay.
“This area is well-known as an entertainment hub,” she said. “My guests need to be assured
that I
know what to do if something happens.”
Hannah is no stranger to security incidents. In 2013, a club she worked at faced a two-hour closure
when
several drunken guests got into a fight that spun out of control. The incident saw Hannah’s colleague
hospitalised after her head was smashed into a glass table.
“I told the guests to just follow me and leave,” Hannah recalled. “But getting them
out
of the club was difficult.”
Hannah Goh was one of the 70 representatives from businesses in Clarke Quay who took part in this year’s
exercise. PHOTO: Nur Amni
That’s why simulations like Exercise Heartbeat are crucial for preparing employees and those on
the
ground for emergencies. Their knowledge of emergency protocols can make all the difference in getting guests to
safety.
As Exercise Heartbeat came to a close, Hannah resumed her regular duties, secure in the knowledge that
she
would know what to do when terror strikes in the workplace. “My priority is to guarantee the safety of
guests
and colleagues,” she said. “To do that, I must know what to do in an emergency.”
Ramping Up Counter-Terrorism Efforts at the Workplace
Modelled after London’s Borough Market attack of June 2017, Exercise Heartbeat involved 140
participants and served to test the emergency responses of SPF, businesses and their staff in dealing with a
terror
attack.
Under the SGSecure
for
Workplaces programme, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) worked with property developer CapitaLand
(which
manages Clarke Quay) to build up the resilience of businesses against terror attacks.
Staff members applying their knowledge of SGSecure advisories such as “Press, Tie, Tell” to help an injured
casualty. PHOTO: Nur Amni
Through the programme, employees of clubs and eateries in the area have received training in emergency
evacuation routes. Businesses have also registered their employees as SGSecure representatives. Their
responsibilities include using the SGSecure Guide for
Workplaces to implement SGSecure initiatives and activating business continuity plans in times of
crisis.
An Emergency Response Team officer in a club during the terror simulation at Exercise Heartbeat 2017. PHOTO:
Nur Amni
Exercise Northstar 10
–
Multiple Agencies Respond to “Terror Incident” at Changi AirportAs part of ongoing
counter-terrorism efforts, the Home Team has conducted multiple exercises such as Exercise Northstar 10 to
validate
multiple agencies’ response to possible terror attacks in Singapore. Read about Exercise Northstar 10
here:
Exercise Northstar 10:
SCDF
ORNSmen Work Alongside Community Partners to Hone Crisis Response
Companies can find out more about SGSecure through the SGSecure website and the MOM website. To download
SGSecure-related apps, click here.
