CBRNeWORLD
Commissioner Peter Lim, of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF),
tells Gwyn Winfield about how they manage to stay ahead of the threat
Eastern
Star
GW: What is SCDF’s approach in
managing a CBRNE threat and what do
you see as SCDF’s priorities for CBRE
defence now?
PL: SCDF adopts a multi-prong approach
in managing CBRE threats. The key
priorities can be summarized in a fourpronged strategy which includes
preventive measures, response capability
development, establishing a strong
incident management framework and
public education. Preventive measures
include regulatory controls. In Singapore,
there is a low risk tolerance due to our
high population density. Thus, preventive
measures are important, which includes
active tracking on a 24/7 basis of all bulk
vehicles carrying Hazardous Chemicals
and the ability to remotely immobilise
the vehicles if there are deviations from
their prescribed routes. In this way, we
are able to prevent the use of such
vehicles for ill intent.
In terms of response capability, SCDF
has in place a comprehensive response
capability to manage CBRNE incidents
through equipping and skill
development. We are also constantly on
the look out to garner technology in this
area and to explore innovative ways to
meet our specific needs. For example,
SCDF has a Personnel Decontamination
Vehicle which can be quickly deployed
within seven minutes to cater for mass
casualty incidents.
For an effective incident
management framework, we will carry
out regular tests and continue to
ensure that the detailed contingency
plans we already have in place, are
effective and updated.
In terms of public education, the
approaches that we have adopted range
from providing the content knowledge
via our SCDF internet website and
downloadable information via mobile
phones, to the distribution of Civil
Defence Emergency Handbooks to
residents and training classes offered
through the Community Emergency
Preparedness Programme (CEPP), to
name just a few. All these provide
essential emergency preparedness
information, including CBRE topics
such as management of chemical,
biological and radiological threats, inplace protection (IPP) and
decontamination procedures.
The grassroots are our important
links to the community and we work
closely with them to run various
emergency preparedness (EP)
programmes for the residents. SCDF
also conducts community exercises with
counter terrorism themes at our
residential heartlands, to sensitise the
public to the realities of such threats,
and more importantly, to help them
pick up essential skills and knowledge
to deal with such threats.
Singapore’s CBRN defence capability continues to lead Asia ©CBRNe World
CBRNe Convergence 2011, 1-4 November, Askeri Müze, Istanbul. More information on www.icbrnevents.com
6
CBRNe WORLD Winter 2010
www.cbrneworld.com
GW: Singapore has a well-established
CBRNE response. How can SCDF
share this expertise amongst her South
East Asian neighbours?
PL: SCDF has been actively involved in
both conducting training courses as
well as participating in overseas
seminars to share its expertise with the
regional and international community.
For instance, our Civil Defence Academy
(CDA) provides a wide range of training
courses, including courses on
mitigation of hazardous materials and
CBRNE response for its South East
Asian neighbours, as well as its overseas
counterparts. We have seen officers
from regional ASEAN (Association of
Southeast Asian Nations) countries like
Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,
Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam and
other countries such as Australia,
Sweden, and the Netherlands attending
these courses.
SCDF also showed its support for the
sharing of expertise in this field both
regionally and internationally through
collaboration with international agencies
such as the United Nations Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(UN OCHA) and the ASEAN Committee
of Disaster Management (ACDM) to
conduct technical courses and regional
CBRNE related seminars. The most
recent seminar titled “Regional Seminar
on Disaster Management – Working
Together to Manage the CBRNE Threat
for a Safer South-East Asian Region”
was conducted from the 25th to the27th
of May 2010, in collaboration with the
Singapore French Embassy. Experts
from France and officers from SCDF
delivered talks and shared CBRNE
experiences at the seminar which
saw participation from all 10
ASEAN countries.
GW: How much of Singapore’s CBRN
detection role can be handed over to
automated sensors – whether point or
stand off – or will you always need to
have confirmatory analysis before the
“Go button” is sent?
PL: Most of our CBRN detection is
automated. We have developed a
HazMat Incident Management System
(HIMS) where readings from unmanned
detectors can be transmitted wirelessly
to a distant location on a laptop. The
CBRNeWORLD
Eastern Star
SCDF encourages innovation in its own ranks, as this motorised
stretcher shows ©CBRNe World
system integrates an array of Chemical
Agent detectors, Radiological detectors,
toxic industrial chemical (TIC) detectors
and weather sensors to provide a
comprehensive situational picture of
any HazMat threat. For Biological
threats, we would still need to deploy
our responders to the incident site to
collect samples to carry out field tests.
The results gathered from the
automated systems are a useful source
of information to help the Ground
Commander on deciding the course of
action to be taken. The critical decision
CBRNe Convergence 2011, 1-4 November, Askeri Müze, Istanbul. More information on www.icbrnevents.com
www.cbrneworld.com
Winter 2010 CBRNe WORLD
9
CBRNeWORLD
Eastern Star
to press the “Go button” would still
remain with the Ground Commander
who would also take into consideration
other culminating factors.
GW: Do you think that there is any
attraction for Singapore and the
SCDF to model itself on some of the
US strategies – specifically the Civil
Support Teams (CST) and Chemical
Biological Incident Response Force
(CBIRF) role? That there is a clear
mechanism for you to be able to pull
any military assets via an embedded
team on the ground and the sort of
technical rescue in the hotzone that
CBIRF do?
PL: With regards to the CST and
CBIRF’s role in providing initial
detection, identification, mitigation
and personnel decontamination
capabilities, these are carried out by
SCDF’s frontline responders.
Recognising the importance of quick
response to minimise the hazards
posed by unconventional threats, we
have trained and equipped all our
frontline responders to conduct
rescue, detection and mitigation in
any chemical, biological or
radiological (CBR) contaminated
environment. We also have a dedicated
HazMat Emergency Assessment
Response Team (HEART) placed on
24/7 standby, to respond to any
HazMat or CBRE incident. This team
is equipped with sophisticated
detectors to conduct detection and
identification of the HazMat threat.
For casualty decontamination, all our
fire engines have also been retrofitted
with a hasty decontamination facility.
In addition there are also dedicated
appliances for mass casualty
decontamination. In the event of
major Civil Emergencies involving
mass casualties or prolonged
operations, military assets may be
required. For such incidents, SCDF
has a well-established Operations Civil
Emergency framework to coordinate
response not only from the Military
but also other related agencies such as
the Ministry of Health, Police Force
and the National Environment Agency.
GW: SCDF also invested in a highly
capable radiological survey/
reconnaissance vehicle, is there any
interest in getting the same sort of
capability for chemical and biological
detection and identification?
PL: The radiological reconnaissance
vehicle was an extension of our
response capability to comprehensively
cover the Radiological portion of
CBRN. Besides this vehicle, we have
two other reconnaissance vehicles
known as HazMat Control Vehicles
(HCV) which are equipped for
Chemical and Biological response. The
HCVs are equipped with a
comprehensive suite of detectors which
are both vehicle mounted and mobile
so as to provide responders with the
flexibility to detect on the move or to
dismount and analyse at a site. To
increase the confidence level of
detection and identification, multiple
technologies are adopted through the
use of detectors with different
technology. We will continue to be on
the lookout for new and improved
technologies to enhance our HCVs,
particularly in the use of orthogonal
detection principles, stand-off detection
and unmanned aerial devices.
As well as a comprehensive suite of point detectors the SCDF is also investing in stand-off and UAVs ©CBRNe World
CBRNe Convergence 2011, 1-4 November, Askeri Müze, Istanbul. More information on www.icbrnevents.com
10
CBRNe WORLD Winter 2010
www.cbrneworld.com