Channel NewsAsia - Sunday, August
3
SINGAPORE: Some 200,000 people are expected to gather at the
Marina Bay area as Singapore celebrates its 43rd birthday on August
9.
With a crowd that big, Singapore’s security agencies are not
leaving anything to chance. Police and Civil Defence officers said
they are on full standby in case of any attacks on the parade
grounds or elsewhere in Singapore.
Some 150 police officers and 25 vehicles from the Singapore
Police Force (SPF), including the Special Operations Command, will
be deployed on National Day to maintain law and order.
And depending on the nature of the incident, they may order a
mass evacuation.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Anthony Ng, SPF, said: "There will
be a vigorous assessment made by the SPF’s Director of Operations
to do an evacuation.
"Then a message will be displayed at the parade area, together
with a voice message to urge the public to stay calm, and at the
same time, to evacuate orderly, following the instructions of the
ushers as well as the officers at the scene to a safe location.
"At the same time, we will activate the contingency forces to do
the rescue work and implement necessary measures to restore
normalcy."
The main parade venue is not the only place where there will be
a major security presence. Forces are also deployed in other areas
where the public is expected to soak in the festivities.
These areas include the Merlion Park, the Esplanade Park, the
Padang and major transportation nodes like the Raffles Place and
City Hall MRT stations.
About 500 officers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF)
and its supporting agencies, as well as some 80 emergency vehicles,
will also be on standby.
Major Gobiselvan Govindasamy, senior staff officer, SCDF, said:
"We are strategically located at the vicinity of the parade area
and we can respond within a moment’s notice.
"Over and above this, we have been working with the police and
SAF (Singapore Armed Forces) organisers, planning for any
contingency, looking at areas where we can gel our responses and
synergise our efforts."
Where needed, paramedics and doctors will also be called in. In
case of a chemical attack, a bus can transform into a personnel
decontamination vehicle that can also serve as a mass casualty
ambulance.
The decontamination vehicle is equipped to handle about 60
casualties an hour. — CNA/so