At Home in Singapore’s First Smart Fire Station

PHOTO: SCDF

It’s the smart features and dedicated lifesavers at Punggol Fire Station that make it special! Opened on 25 February, the Singapore Civil Defence Force’s (SCDF) 23rd fire station is also the first “smart” fire station, with a host of cool technologies and design features. Rota Commander CPT Gwendelyn Ong gives us a tour of Punggol Fire Station and tells us about the lifesavers who call it home.

PHOTOS: SCDF, Joash Tan

Hi CPT Gwendelyn, what’s your role as an SCDF officer, and what is a typical day like for you? 
I’m a Rota Commander at Punggol Fire Station and, during my Rota’s 24-hour duty, my main responsibility is to attend to emergency fire and rescue calls within our jurisdiction and to ensure the safety and proficiency of the entire operation. While on stand-by, I also conduct training sessions and administrative planning to ensure all our personnel are well-prepared and confident. 

How long have you been with Punggol Fire Station, and what are its special features?
I’ve been at Punggol Fire Station for slightly over a year. The station is unique in that as SCDF’s inaugural smart fire station, it’s equipped with many digital interfaces and new features to enhance our operational readiness. 

GRAPHIC: Joash Tan

As we’re located in Punggol, a burgeoning new town, we’re also well-placed to serve residents, commercial partners and upcoming developments in the area like the Punggol Digital District!

How have you worked to operationalise Punggol Fire Station? 
Throughout 2021, we’ve all been deeply involved in various aspects of the planning and operationalisation of the Fire Station. For example, together with my fellow officers, we studied the boundaries of Punggol Town to understand the nature of emergency incidents that may occur here, and crafted response plans in advance. 

GRAPHIC: Joash Tan

We’ve also embarked on a number of community engagement initiatives to establish good relationships with both residents and commercial partners in the neighbourhood. We look forward to hosting Open House sessions for Punggol residents once public health measures have eased!

GRAPHIC: Joash Tan

We also work closely with our counterparts at Punggol Neighbourhood Police Centre, which is co-located with the fire station. Our most recent collaboration was the joint Opening Ceremony on 25 February when we worked together to ensure that the event went smoothly and to showcase the #OneHomeTeam concept. We’re also discussing how we can conduct outreach activities together at our Community Engagement Area, as well as joint simulations at our Multi Façade Training Tower.

Tell us about yourself and your fellow lifesavers at Punggol Fire Station. 
In my free time, I participate in competitive cheerleading and am a member of the Whales all-girls’ team. I enjoy the exhilaration of successfully executing a difficult stunt! Lately, I’ve also been working on Punggol Fire Station’s social media platforms. We underwent mentoring sessions with our HQ colleagues to develop our social media strategy and learn how we can utilise our platforms for public education.

PHOTOS: SCDF

As for my fellow officers, they’re professional and dedicated on the job, and great fun when they’re off duty! In fact, we’ve been introducing ourselves to the community through our Punggol Fire Station Facebook and Instagram accounts. Follow us to learn more about our SCDF family, and find out how we’re serving you.