The "pre-feasibility study" on nuclear energy is said to walk the ground covered by an earlier document.
If the hearsay is true, the Singapore Government should declassify its earlier study on nuclear energy as this would help Singaporeans understand the issues involved. Declassifying the rumoured document would give credit to the team of civil servants who assessed the issue in-depth, and would honour the memory of one who rose to become a minister of state and has since died.
Saying the decision on nuclear energy will take "a long time" and having our Prime Minister envision that a nuke power station would be built within his lifetime sends mixed signals. In politics, nothing is carved in stone but it does not help when the same PM ruled out nuclear energy in 2007. For more, please click here. This sort of public relations flip flop leaves people feeling confused and taken for granted.
No nuclear energy plans yet for S'pore but study in the works
Source: Today Online 04:46 AM Mar 17, 2011
Responding to MediaCorp's queries, Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) reiterated that it "will be a long time" before the Government makes any decision on nuclear energy.
According to MTI, the Government was in the midst of a "pre-feasibility study" on nuclear energy. The pre-feasibility study is to explore whether Singapore can even begin to consider nuclear energy.
The MTI said: "Safety is a very important consideration and is one of the key areas being studied."
It added: "We are closely monitoring and learning from the developments in Japan."
Last November, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had said that while a nuclear power project was not scheduled to start any time soon, a nuclear plant could be built in Singapore "during my lifetime". ESTHER NG
Thursday, March 17, 2011
A note to readers: 26 February'11
Hi Everyone,
I am aware that a number of you have been searching this site since 26 February 2011 for postings on Second Lieutenant Daryl Loh.
The memorial notice was noted on the day itself and Mr Lawrence Loh, Daryl's father, is touched that the 10th anniversary was remembered by the Singaporean Chief of Navy in command at the time of the incident.
Mr Loh has granted permission to share this with Daryl's friends: "Yes, I saw the In Memorium ad placed by Tuck Yew. I was both impressed and very touched. It is amazing that after ten years, he can still remember. On my part, I was of two minds about placing an ad. On the one hand, I thought that the 10th Anniversary was a milestone date of sorts, but on the other, I was afraid that the ad would attract another round of phone calls, emails and SMSes from friends, which may trigger another bout of pain. So I decided not to."
The recent memorial marker placed by the Men of Steel has also been noted.
The date 26 March will also be remembered, not just because of Operation Thunderbolt.
Thought for the day: Make training safety your top priority.
I am aware that a number of you have been searching this site since 26 February 2011 for postings on Second Lieutenant Daryl Loh.
The memorial notice was noted on the day itself and Mr Lawrence Loh, Daryl's father, is touched that the 10th anniversary was remembered by the Singaporean Chief of Navy in command at the time of the incident.
Mr Loh has granted permission to share this with Daryl's friends: "Yes, I saw the In Memorium ad placed by Tuck Yew. I was both impressed and very touched. It is amazing that after ten years, he can still remember. On my part, I was of two minds about placing an ad. On the one hand, I thought that the 10th Anniversary was a milestone date of sorts, but on the other, I was afraid that the ad would attract another round of phone calls, emails and SMSes from friends, which may trigger another bout of pain. So I decided not to."
The recent memorial marker placed by the Men of Steel has also been noted.
The date 26 March will also be remembered, not just because of Operation Thunderbolt.
Thought for the day: Make training safety your top priority.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
25th anniversary of the Hotel New World disaster
Today's marks the 25th anniversary of the collapse of the Hotel New World, a building structural failure that killed 33 people close to the heart of Singapore's city centre. Seventeen people trapped under the rubble were rescued.
Twenty five years ago, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was inexperienced in urban search and rescue and British engineers digging underground train tunnels were brought in to probe the rubble of the collapsed six-storey hotel.
Today, the SCDF's range of core capabilities, readiness state and experience levels have transformed Singapore's fire and ambulance service, and civil rescue teams beyond recognition.
That the SCDF has transformed itself in the space of 25 years reflects the drive and vision of pioneering SCDF officers, many of whom have since retired. If you think such transformation is automatic, take a peek into fire stations in some overseas countries next time you walk past and you may be surprised by the archaic equipment in their vehicle sheds.
Barely three months into 2011, the SCDF has lent its expertise to two oveaseas rescue missions.
At the time of writing, a team of five SCDF officers and five sniffer dogs trained to conduct Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) are on active duty in Japan. The Lionheart team is deployed alongside Japanese rescuers for quake and tsunami relief work. Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) missions spearheaded by the Home Team are assigned the operational title of Lionheart.
Here's why the Lionheart deployments in 2011 are milestones for the SCDF.
1. The Lionheart deployments to Christchurch, New Zealand, and to Japan marked the first time since the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami that the SCDF had Lionheart teams deployed in two countries concurrently. In January 2005, the SCDF had Lionheart teams deployed in Sumatra, in Indonesia, and in Phuket, Thailand.
2. The Lionheart team now in Japan is the northernmost deployment for SCDF officers. This is believed to be the first time SCDF officers are in Japan for a HADR operation. Incidentally, the record for the highest altitude (as opposed to latitude) deployment goes to the SCDF team that helped with the Nepal quake relief mission.
3. The Lionheart team that wrapped up the mission in Christchurch is - you guessed it - the southermost deployment ever staged by the SCDF. Any farther south and they would be in Antarctica. This year's Lionheart deployments show the range of latitudes and climates that the SCDF is prepared to send its people to. (One hopes the Home Team gives its officers a decent cold weather clothing allowance.)
4. The Japan Lionheart team is one of the smallest the SCDF has deployed for a rescue. It also has the highest rescuer to rescue dog ratio of 1:1. Sniffer dogs sent by Singapore give Japanese rescuers that extra edge when combing collapsed structures for survivors. The value of the J-Lion contribution therefore goes beyond the headcount and tonnage of supplies airflown from Singapore.
As we remember the victims of the Hotel New World disaster and recent natural disasters in the Pacific Rim, we should also treasure the contributions of the Lionheart team and SCDF team members who are on call 24/7 and train hard for every 995 call.
Best of luck to the J-Lion team.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Japan's earthquake and tsunami: Media issues to think about
All of a sudden, the crisis in Libya has been knocked off the nightly television news.
The media has zoomed in on Japan where the twin perils of a massive earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan's Honshu island on Friday afternoon are making headline news around the globe.
The killer waves that resulted in Japan's pain are possibly the most televised tsunami in history; the Boxing Day tsunami was filmed to a lesser degree than the footage available on YouTube that shows the moment the tsunami flooded Japanese coastal areas.
Media watchers familiar with the Boxing Day tsunami would recognise several parallels in the way the media is covering the story in Japan. Some points worth noting:
1. The scale of the disaster will be more apparent from aerial surveys and satellite images. The media is likely to use before/after satellite images of Japan's eastern coastline to show the extent of the devastation. Stories are also likely to touch on how the post-tsunami coastline has changed.
2. Agricultural experts may talk about how crop growth will be affected as a result of saltwater leeching into the soil. The high saline content makes the soil unsuitable for planting food crops and this is a story the media may explore. This was experienced by farmers in Sumatra.
3. It is only a matter of time before journalists address whether the ocean's catch is safe for consumption. In the wake of the Boxing Day tsunami, some seafood lovers shunned Sri Lankan mud crabs and other seafood as they feared the crustaceans may have eaten corpses washed into the sea. With seafood forming a large part of the Japanese diet, this topic could surface in the media soon.
4. The psychological impact of the disaster is a ticking time bomb that suicide statistics in coming months may reflect. Disaster relief agencies deployed for the Boxing Day tsunami recognised that survivors are not the only ones vulnerable to post-traumatic stresses triggered by a natural disaster. First responders, care givers and even journalists who witness the tsunami's aftermath can likewise carry emotional scars from their experience in and around the disaster zone.
5. Japanese authorities will have to impose some form of air traffic control in the airspace around the disaster zone. Free wheeling media choppers may have given the world a firsthand look at the tsunami, but uncontrolled and unregulated use of airspace is a danger to flight safety. In Sumatra, Indonesian authorities worked with the Singapore Armed Forces to introduce air lanes off Meulaboh that replaced the see-and-be-seen flight profiles.
6. Watch your local bookstore. Instant books and special edition magazines on the tsunami will soon appear, as was the case for the Boxing Day tsunami when publishers produced quick turnaround books packed with pictures of the disaster.
7. The rapid change of media attention underscores the fragility of the so-called media offensives and agenda-based journalism. Newsmakers who can weather media attention for two weeks' or so will outlast the attention span of media agencies. Singaporean actors embroiled in extra marital affairs have learned this. So too have repressive regimes around the globe. Case in point: We hardly hear about the situation in Bahrain anymore. Stories on Myanmar, for example, pop up every now and again but seldom command sufficient interest among media agencies to fund the freelancers who provide the backbone of their news coverage. And once the story is downgraded from headline material, even top-ranked parachute journalists and leader writers will look for bigger fish to fry.
That two-week window has direct relevance to SAF war planners as a hot war scenario that deploys the full force potential of Singapore's war machine will have to wrap things up within xx days. This falls within the 14-day window of media attention, which means the situation in the SAF's zone of operations will continue to command foreign media attention from the first shot to ceasefire.
The media has zoomed in on Japan where the twin perils of a massive earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan's Honshu island on Friday afternoon are making headline news around the globe.
The killer waves that resulted in Japan's pain are possibly the most televised tsunami in history; the Boxing Day tsunami was filmed to a lesser degree than the footage available on YouTube that shows the moment the tsunami flooded Japanese coastal areas.
Media watchers familiar with the Boxing Day tsunami would recognise several parallels in the way the media is covering the story in Japan. Some points worth noting:
1. The scale of the disaster will be more apparent from aerial surveys and satellite images. The media is likely to use before/after satellite images of Japan's eastern coastline to show the extent of the devastation. Stories are also likely to touch on how the post-tsunami coastline has changed.
2. Agricultural experts may talk about how crop growth will be affected as a result of saltwater leeching into the soil. The high saline content makes the soil unsuitable for planting food crops and this is a story the media may explore. This was experienced by farmers in Sumatra.
3. It is only a matter of time before journalists address whether the ocean's catch is safe for consumption. In the wake of the Boxing Day tsunami, some seafood lovers shunned Sri Lankan mud crabs and other seafood as they feared the crustaceans may have eaten corpses washed into the sea. With seafood forming a large part of the Japanese diet, this topic could surface in the media soon.
4. The psychological impact of the disaster is a ticking time bomb that suicide statistics in coming months may reflect. Disaster relief agencies deployed for the Boxing Day tsunami recognised that survivors are not the only ones vulnerable to post-traumatic stresses triggered by a natural disaster. First responders, care givers and even journalists who witness the tsunami's aftermath can likewise carry emotional scars from their experience in and around the disaster zone.
5. Japanese authorities will have to impose some form of air traffic control in the airspace around the disaster zone. Free wheeling media choppers may have given the world a firsthand look at the tsunami, but uncontrolled and unregulated use of airspace is a danger to flight safety. In Sumatra, Indonesian authorities worked with the Singapore Armed Forces to introduce air lanes off Meulaboh that replaced the see-and-be-seen flight profiles.
6. Watch your local bookstore. Instant books and special edition magazines on the tsunami will soon appear, as was the case for the Boxing Day tsunami when publishers produced quick turnaround books packed with pictures of the disaster.
7. The rapid change of media attention underscores the fragility of the so-called media offensives and agenda-based journalism. Newsmakers who can weather media attention for two weeks' or so will outlast the attention span of media agencies. Singaporean actors embroiled in extra marital affairs have learned this. So too have repressive regimes around the globe. Case in point: We hardly hear about the situation in Bahrain anymore. Stories on Myanmar, for example, pop up every now and again but seldom command sufficient interest among media agencies to fund the freelancers who provide the backbone of their news coverage. And once the story is downgraded from headline material, even top-ranked parachute journalists and leader writers will look for bigger fish to fry.
That two-week window has direct relevance to SAF war planners as a hot war scenario that deploys the full force potential of Singapore's war machine will have to wrap things up within xx days. This falls within the 14-day window of media attention, which means the situation in the SAF's zone of operations will continue to command foreign media attention from the first shot to ceasefire.
Singapore's quake relief team returns from New Zealand
Singapore contingent returns from Christchurch
Source: Ministry of Defence, Singapore
Posted: 13 Mar 2011, 1910 hours (Time is GMT +8 hours)
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) team which was deployed to assist with the earthquake relief operations in Christchurch, New Zealand, returned home this evening after successfully completing their mission. 70 SAF personnel, together with 30 members from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) urban search and rescue team, were welcomed home by Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General (LG) Neo Kian Hong at a ceremony held at Changi Airport Terminal 3. Also present at the ceremony were Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, family members of the returning personnel as well as senior SAF and SCDF officers.
Speaking to the SAF team at the reception, LG Neo said, "I congratulate you for successfully completing your mission. You have demonstrated professionalism and commitment in the disaster relief effort to help the people of Christchurch. I thank you and your families who have supported you throughout this deployment."
The 116-strong team began assisting the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and local authorities with rescue operations and providing humanitarian aid to victims of the earthquake in Christchurch on 23 Feb 2011. During their 17-day deployment at Christchurch, the SAF personnel worked closely with the NZDF in conducting cordon operations in the city centre to ensure the safety and security of the residents whose lives and homes were affected by the earthquake. They were also deployed to remove debris in the suburbs, set up water purification units and tents, and provide primary healthcare at the welfare centres. Besides the SAF team, two RSAF C-130s and one KC-135 military aircraft also evacuated civilians, and airlift humanitarian aid and supplies to victims of the earthquake. The aircraft have since returned to Singapore.
The remaining SAF personnel will return to Singapore tomorrow. They will be received by Chief of Army Major-General Chan Chun Sing, senior SAF officers and family members. In Christchurch, the SAF-led Disaster Victim Identification team continues to assist local authorities in forensics work to identify victims killed in the earthquake.
Who watches the Watchers?
Among the comic capers national servicemen are capable of pulling off, the one where Singapore Army soldiers turned a car yard into a Daytona circuit while deployed for Operation Bascinet must rank as a classic.
This incident shows that despite all the high tech wizardry of the Third Generation Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), the drive to develop the SAF's people, warfighting concepts and defence technology counts for nothing if warfighters entrusted with national security operations treat their time on duty as a joke.
The nocturnal adventures at Sembawang Wharves, where factory fresh cars offloaded from Ro-Ro carriers are temporarily stored, came to light last week when their court hearing was reported by the Singaporean media.
Here's what we know of the case:
The soldiers were assigned protection of installation (POI) duty to guard Sembawang Wharves. This former Royal Navy dockyard is classified as a key installation as the RN has berths there and United States Navy personnel use facilities at the sprawling yard on the northern shore of Singapore island.
On the night of Friday 6 August 2010, Army regular Third Sergeant Chiam Toon Chong, 24, and full-time NSmen (NSF) Lance Corporals Tan Yong Cheng and Tan Fu Ning, both 21, were on duty near the car yard where new Kia Koup cars were parked with doors unlocked.
This was no ordinary Friday. It was the eve of a long National Day holiday weekend when corporate Singapore would have shut down for a long weekend.
3SG Chiam is said to have suggested that the trio play with the cars. Press reports state that the group took three Koups on a 15-minute joyride, during which two collided.
3SG Chiam returned to the sleeping quarters around 10pm but the NSFs went for another joyride in two cars. They are said to have gone for a third spin and it was then that the wheel of one Koup was damaged when it went into a drain.
The soldiers returned the cars to the yard and parked the damaged cars out of view. But their game was up when a wharf employee reported the night time antics.
In December 2010, the trio were slapped with detention sentences ranging from nine and 15 months.
From a defence information management perspective, mitigating potential public relations damage from this incident goes beyond ensuring that Army recruitment ads do not coincide with coverage of the case.
One would hope that every serviceman and servicewoman deployed for Ops Bascinet will not fall prey to vigilance fatigue.
The run up to major national holidays must be seen as a critical time for our security forces. Just ask the SAF serviceman who served during the Malindo Darsasa 3AB period of tension in August 1991. There was no time for fun and games.
As the SAF guards against intruders, one cannot realistically expect warfighters to remain on heightened alert for days on end for that one time breach of security that may never come. With nerves kept taut, SAF servicemen may end up like a watch spring that is wound up too tightly - they will feel the strain and eventually break. This is why security battalions and combat units deployed for POI duty should be regularly renewed to keep morale and alert levels high.
Antics among NSFs are not confined to the SAF. The Home Team has its fair share of personnel who make the news for all the wrong reasons.
Managing public perceptions must therefore take into account how our neighbours will view Singapore's NS system.
Many officers in the Malaysian Armed Forces I have spoken to have a high regard for the SAF's battle technology. But when the chit chat shifts to defence manpower matters, that's when their perception of the SAF as a citizen's army of soft city boys sometimes clouds their analysis.
We find the same behaviour among the Indonesians. At the Safkar Indopura war games, TNI warfighters love showing off their jungle survival skills and this includes macho displays of killing and eating assorted jungle wildlife - the kind of stuff known to make some city boys cringe.
The Sembawang Wharves incident makes sad reading because it shows the amount of work needed to ensure that those watching out for us are really doing their job. It would almost be funny if translated into a movie storyline and reading about the case gives one a mental picture of how vigilant that unit really was.
I have heard stories of how guard duty at Changi Airport is sought after by SAF servicemen because they prowl the airport terminals in air conditioned comfort. Another perk: they get to ogle at eye candy as Singapore Airlines flight attendants in tight sarong kebayas saunter past.
The Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) should keep their morale up by ensuring their essential duties are properly publicised from time to time.
When I was an NSF with PIONEER magazine, we received a letter from a group of storemen whose sole responsibility for 2.5 years was to make wooden pallets. It was dreadfully boring. They felt overshadowed by the frontline roles and asked if PIONEER would consider writing about their low profile role. The magazine obliged and the short story boosted recognition for their critical role in supporting the shipment of SAF material.
During my time with 90C, a photographer and I spent New Year's Eve on Jurong Island with troops on POI duty. We had a warm reception at each guard post we toured and the next morning's newspaper run was something the soldiers looked forward to. It was apparent during the interviews that many of the soldiers had never ushered in a new year away from family and friends before and that point was reflected in the 90C story. That morning's press call and the impending visit by then Chief of Army to Jurong Island made New Year's Eve special for those on the duty roster.
With this argument in mind, the stories showcased by PIONEER about lesser known SAF roles such as vehicle mechanics and air force navigators are welcome. The tricky bit comes with sustaining reader appeal with fresh angles, pictures and perspectives so that the umpteenth behind the scenes story doesn't end up as a page turner as readers second guess what the story is trying to say.
The final point about the Sembawang Wharves incident touches on the SAF's people.
The SAF's value as an instrument of deterrence and as an operationally ready fighting force is only as strong as its weakest links.
On Friday night on 6 August last year, the three SAF servicemen at Sembawang Wharves showed that even those watching out for us, need to be watched sometimes. At that point in time and space, they were the SAF's weak links and they have paid a price for their folly.
This incident shows that despite all the high tech wizardry of the Third Generation Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), the drive to develop the SAF's people, warfighting concepts and defence technology counts for nothing if warfighters entrusted with national security operations treat their time on duty as a joke.
The nocturnal adventures at Sembawang Wharves, where factory fresh cars offloaded from Ro-Ro carriers are temporarily stored, came to light last week when their court hearing was reported by the Singaporean media.
Here's what we know of the case:
The soldiers were assigned protection of installation (POI) duty to guard Sembawang Wharves. This former Royal Navy dockyard is classified as a key installation as the RN has berths there and United States Navy personnel use facilities at the sprawling yard on the northern shore of Singapore island.
On the night of Friday 6 August 2010, Army regular Third Sergeant Chiam Toon Chong, 24, and full-time NSmen (NSF) Lance Corporals Tan Yong Cheng and Tan Fu Ning, both 21, were on duty near the car yard where new Kia Koup cars were parked with doors unlocked.
This was no ordinary Friday. It was the eve of a long National Day holiday weekend when corporate Singapore would have shut down for a long weekend.
3SG Chiam is said to have suggested that the trio play with the cars. Press reports state that the group took three Koups on a 15-minute joyride, during which two collided.
3SG Chiam returned to the sleeping quarters around 10pm but the NSFs went for another joyride in two cars. They are said to have gone for a third spin and it was then that the wheel of one Koup was damaged when it went into a drain.
The soldiers returned the cars to the yard and parked the damaged cars out of view. But their game was up when a wharf employee reported the night time antics.
In December 2010, the trio were slapped with detention sentences ranging from nine and 15 months.
From a defence information management perspective, mitigating potential public relations damage from this incident goes beyond ensuring that Army recruitment ads do not coincide with coverage of the case.
One would hope that every serviceman and servicewoman deployed for Ops Bascinet will not fall prey to vigilance fatigue.
The run up to major national holidays must be seen as a critical time for our security forces. Just ask the SAF serviceman who served during the Malindo Darsasa 3AB period of tension in August 1991. There was no time for fun and games.
As the SAF guards against intruders, one cannot realistically expect warfighters to remain on heightened alert for days on end for that one time breach of security that may never come. With nerves kept taut, SAF servicemen may end up like a watch spring that is wound up too tightly - they will feel the strain and eventually break. This is why security battalions and combat units deployed for POI duty should be regularly renewed to keep morale and alert levels high.
Antics among NSFs are not confined to the SAF. The Home Team has its fair share of personnel who make the news for all the wrong reasons.
Managing public perceptions must therefore take into account how our neighbours will view Singapore's NS system.
Many officers in the Malaysian Armed Forces I have spoken to have a high regard for the SAF's battle technology. But when the chit chat shifts to defence manpower matters, that's when their perception of the SAF as a citizen's army of soft city boys sometimes clouds their analysis.
We find the same behaviour among the Indonesians. At the Safkar Indopura war games, TNI warfighters love showing off their jungle survival skills and this includes macho displays of killing and eating assorted jungle wildlife - the kind of stuff known to make some city boys cringe.
The Sembawang Wharves incident makes sad reading because it shows the amount of work needed to ensure that those watching out for us are really doing their job. It would almost be funny if translated into a movie storyline and reading about the case gives one a mental picture of how vigilant that unit really was.
I have heard stories of how guard duty at Changi Airport is sought after by SAF servicemen because they prowl the airport terminals in air conditioned comfort. Another perk: they get to ogle at eye candy as Singapore Airlines flight attendants in tight sarong kebayas saunter past.
The Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) should keep their morale up by ensuring their essential duties are properly publicised from time to time.
When I was an NSF with PIONEER magazine, we received a letter from a group of storemen whose sole responsibility for 2.5 years was to make wooden pallets. It was dreadfully boring. They felt overshadowed by the frontline roles and asked if PIONEER would consider writing about their low profile role. The magazine obliged and the short story boosted recognition for their critical role in supporting the shipment of SAF material.
During my time with 90C, a photographer and I spent New Year's Eve on Jurong Island with troops on POI duty. We had a warm reception at each guard post we toured and the next morning's newspaper run was something the soldiers looked forward to. It was apparent during the interviews that many of the soldiers had never ushered in a new year away from family and friends before and that point was reflected in the 90C story. That morning's press call and the impending visit by then Chief of Army to Jurong Island made New Year's Eve special for those on the duty roster.
With this argument in mind, the stories showcased by PIONEER about lesser known SAF roles such as vehicle mechanics and air force navigators are welcome. The tricky bit comes with sustaining reader appeal with fresh angles, pictures and perspectives so that the umpteenth behind the scenes story doesn't end up as a page turner as readers second guess what the story is trying to say.
The final point about the Sembawang Wharves incident touches on the SAF's people.
The SAF's value as an instrument of deterrence and as an operationally ready fighting force is only as strong as its weakest links.
On Friday night on 6 August last year, the three SAF servicemen at Sembawang Wharves showed that even those watching out for us, need to be watched sometimes. At that point in time and space, they were the SAF's weak links and they have paid a price for their folly.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Singapore joins quake and tsunami relief operation in Japan; Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) team now airborne on SQ 12
A rescue team from Singapore is currently en route to Japan to join earthquake and tsunami relief operations there after killer waves swamped parts of Japan's eastern seaboard yesterday afternoon.
The mission, codenamed Operation Lionheart, is believed to be the first time a rescue team from Singapore has been sent to Japan for quake relief work.
The Lionheart Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team comprises five personnel and five rescue dogs from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). They are led by Major Tan Loo Ping. All but one of the SCDF officers were in Chrischurch, New Zealand, recently on a previous Lionheart mission after an earthquake levelled parts of the city.
The team took off from Changi International Airport (SIN) aboard Singapore Airlines Flight SQ 12 and is expected to arrive in Tokyo's Narita Airport (NRT) just before 5pm this afternoon. The SCDF Lionheart team will then work alongside Japanese rescue forces.
SCDF Deploys Search Team to Japan
Source: Corporate Communications Branch, Public Affairs Department, SCDF
12 March 2011
Update No: 1
SCDF has deployed 5 search specialists and 5 search dogs to Japan to assist in the search operations following the 8.8 - magnitude earthquake that occurred on 11 Mar 2011. The SCDF officers are from the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) contingent, codenamed Operation Lionheart.
Led by Search Platoon Commander, Major Tan Loo Ping, the 5-man team comprise experienced officers. Members of the team have all participated in past overseas search and rescue operations. MAJ Tan, including three of the officers, have just returned from Christchurch, New Zealand (NZ) on 6 March 2011 after participating there [NZ] in the search and rescue efforts.
The SCDF search team left via commercial flight (SQ 12) today at 10.44am (Singapore time). The team was sent off by the Senior Director of Emergency Services, Assistant Commissioner Eric Yap. Upon arrival in Japan, MAJ Tan will coordinate with the local authorities as to the areas to be deployed.
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