SINGAPORE FIRE SERVICE (Upgrading of capabilities)

Mr Rohan bin Kamis asked the Minister for Home Affairs, in view of the recent fires and the problem of low water pressure encountered by the Singapore Fire Service, what steps have been taken to overcome the problem and to upgrade the capabilities of our Fire Service to meet the changing environment of high rise fire-fighting.

Prof. S. Jayakumar (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, the water pressure throughout the island is generally satisfactory except for the CBD area where most of the business and high-rise buildings are located. Realizing this situation, the Fire Service has taken action to overcome the problem. Work has started since 1980 to improve the water supply for the CBD area. The project will cost $1.09 million and it involves the installation of new and bigger triple out-let fire hydrants on larger water mains. It also includes the transfer of existing fire hydrants from small water mains to larger ones and the installation of new hydrants where necessary.

When the project is completed by the end of this month, there will be sufficient fire hydrants to cover the fire risks within the CBD area and its immediate vicinity. There will also be adequate water supply with good pressure from hydrants for fire-fighting.

The Singapore Fire Service is monitoring the water situation in the other parts of Singapore, and where the supply needs to be improved, it will be done.

Regarding high-rise fires, high-rise buildings are defined as buildings beyond the reach of the tallest fire service ladders which are normally 30 metres in height. Fires in such buildings are fought from within the building, using built-in fire-fighting facilities such as rising mains, fire lifts, fire escape staircases, etc.

To effectively tackle high-rise building fires, the Singapore Fire Service has been updating its knowledge and skills in this area. Officers have been sent abroad to learn from the experiences of other countries with similar situations. Specific measures taken in respect of high-rise building fire contingencies include the following:

First, there is a special squad to carry out search and rescue at fires. The Squad consists of physically fit and mentally alert young men adequately trained for the job. The Squad is based at the Central Fire Station ready to respond to any high-rise emergency. There are at present 139 men in the Squad. They attend regular simulated rescue exercises to constantly upgrade their skills and are subjected to rigorous physical exercises to maintain their physical fitness.

Second, fire appliances equipped with larger capacity pumps to enable more water at high pressure to be drawn off from the risers of high-rise buildings during fire-fighting have been acquired. In the last five years, $5.5 million have been spent in the purchase of these appliances and special turntable ladders.

Third, a Mobile Control Unit equipment and channels and portable transceiver sets have been purchased. The Fire Service has also bought Breathing Apparatus Tender to supply sufficient Breathing Apparatus at the fireground.

Fourth, the Fire Service has recently acquired three pieces of the latest equipment for fighting fires and carrying out rescue within high-rise buildings. They are:-

(a) A portable electro-optical sensory device for scanning over a large area for hot spots in a building. The equipment would assist firemen to search and locate speedily the seat of fire when working in a dense smoke-filled environment.

(b) A water drill operated by high water pressure from hoselines. The equipment is capable of boring holes in floors and walls and even reinforced concrete floors up to 30 cm thick to enable water jets to be directed at fire burning in inaccessible sites.

(c) An infra-red portable viewer called "probeye". This equipment would enable firemen using it to search and locate trapped victims in a smoke-filled environment.

To combat high-rise building fires, operational procedures similar to those followed in the US and UK for high-rise fire-fighting have been drawn up. The procedures allow for effective deployment of men and better planning of tactics and strategies. The men carry out exercises at business and commercial high-rise buildings every Monday morning to ensure that they are familiar with the procedures and the layout of building and fire-fighting equipment. Last year, a total of 49 exercises were carried out.

A contingency plan to call upon the assistance of RSAF helicopters when the need arises for aerial evacuation has also been drawn up. However, this will only be used as a last resort. The Fire Service has also formed a High-rise Unit to carry out inspections of business and commercial high-rise buildings. The Unit also compiles information on fire-fighting facilities such as location of rising mains and fire lifts into fire operational manuals for each business and commercial high-rise building, These manuals are kept in the Command and Control Centre for use at the scene of fires.