Emergency medical crews deployed with marine firefighters onto affected ships after death of SCDF captain

SINGAPORE — The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has introduced an interim measure where emergency medical services (EMS) crews will be deployed with marine firefighting teams onto affected ships. 

This measure started on July 1 and comes after the death of Captain Kenneth Tay Xue Qin, SCDF said on Friday (July 12) in response to CNA's query.

CPT Tay died on May 16 after fighting a fire on a tanker that was anchored in Singapore waters. He had lost consciousness on board the ship. 

After he was evacuated to Pasir Panjang Ferry Terminal, he was taken by ambulance to National University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Previously, an EMS crew would be dispatched to the nearest landing point — for example, a ferry terminal — for standby upon confirmation of a medical emergency.

Since July 1, an EMS crew — comprising a paramedic and two emergency medical technicians (EMTs) — will be activated from the nearest land fire station and be deployed together with the marine firefighting teams onto the affected ship.

EMTs are junior compared with paramedics. There are four levels of medical competency for emergency care — the first level is a first responder, while the second is an EMT. 

Primary care and advanced care paramedics are levels three and four respectively.

Marine firefighting teams deployed out to sea also include firefighters who are trained as EMTs. They carry resuscitation equipment, including airway management devices and an automated external defibrillator.

"Together with the marine EMTs, the EMS crew will be able to provide additional medical interventions for any medical emergency that may arise during the operation, enhancing the operational safety for marine fires," SCDF said.

REVIEW OF FIREFIGHTING OPERATION

Following CPT Tay's death, the SCDF convened an internal review group to conduct a detailed after-action review of the firefighting operation.

The group comprises senior SCDF officers and marine firefighting specialists with "many years of operational and training experience".

"The (review) will examine the operations from the viewpoint of firefighting strategy, safety procedures, training, and equipping," said SCDF on Friday, adding that the review is ongoing.

SCDF's reply on Friday comes after Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said in a written parliamentary answer on July 2 that SCDF will include an EMS crew as part of the firefighting team that "will proceed to the vessel on fire".

This crew will be able to "attend more expeditiously to any medical emergency that may arise during the operation", said the minister.

MP Joan Pereira (PAP-Tanjong Pagar) had asked if additional measures would be taken after the death of CPT Tay.

Mr Shanmugam added that the SCDF has robust frameworks and processes in place to ensure the safety of its officers during firefighting operations.

All SCDF officers are required to undergo regular medical screening, and only those certified to be medically fit are deployed.

He also said firefighters have to undergo training as part of their foundational course before they can be deployed. This includes both theoretical and practical components.

Following graduation from the foundation course, those who are selected as marine firefighters will go through further training to equip them with the additional skillsets, he added. CNA