Adequacy of existing firefighting capabilities given growing electric vehicle population

Question:

Mr Victor Lye: To ask the Senior Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs whether the SCDF has assessed if existing firefighting capabilities, including water supply requirements and specialist equipment, remain adequate as the national electric vehicle population continues to grow.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Senior Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs:

1. SCDF regularly reviews and upgrades its firefighting capabilities to ensure that it can respond swiftly and safely to all types of fires, including those involving electric vehicles (EV).

2. For EV fires, SCDF has a range of capabilities including the Battery Fire Extinguishing System. This system pierces the undercarriage of the electric vehicle and injects water directly into the battery pack, allowing firefighters to target the source of the fire more effectively.

3. SCDF will continue to review emerging risks and explore new technologies to strengthen its firefighting operations.