SCDF NSF found unconscious at bottom of pump well dies

FireIce SG

A Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) full-time national serviceman has died after he was found unconscious at the bottom of a fire station's pump well.

According to a SCDF news release on Monday (May 14), Corporal Kok Yuen Chin had been celebrating his impending end of full-time national service with his squad mates the night before.

One of the activities involved him getting into the pump well. The pump well is a reservoir of water used by fire station personnel for training and for testing the pumps of fire engines.

He did not resurface, and when a few other SCDF personnel tried to look for him, they could not find him.

"Cpl Kok was eventually pulled out from the well after the water had been drained," the SCDF said on Monday.

He was conveyed to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The Police are conducting investigations, on what had happened, including how he fell into the pump well, and whether any person(s) are criminally responsible, said the SCDF.

Two SCDF regular personnel have been placed under arrest on Monday following preliminary investigations.

"A Committee of Inquiry will also be convened to look into the case, and full details will be made public in due course," the SCDF added.

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QX179R SG

SINGAPORE: Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam on Monday (May 14) pledged to get to the bottom of the incident that left one Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) full-time national serviceman (NSF) dead.

Corporal Kok Yuen Chin, 22, died on Sunday after being found unconscious at the bottom of a fire station pump well.

CPL Kok was celebrating his impending ORD, which was supposed to fall on Wednesday, when the incident happened, Mr Shanmugam said, confirming that he had drowned.

"This boy died last night during a celebration gone wrong," Mr Shanmugam told reporters on Monday.

"The facts I've been given so far, they make it quite clear that conduct was quite wrong of some of the people involved. It was in clear violation of SCDF’s rules, it should not have happened, unacceptable, period."

While Mr Shanmugam declined to go into details of the incident due to ongoing investigations, he said the "facts will come out".

"I’ve also asked SCDF to do an audit," he added. "Any other evidence of such conduct, take action, because we have to send a clear message.

"When conduct which is not sanctioned has taken place, celebration or otherwise, action has been taken, but then after awhile people forget and then break the rules again."

When asked if CPL Kok had participated in an unauthorised activity, Mr Shanmugam said it would be inappropriate to comment at the "risk of not being complete and accurate".

"As you can see, two regular officers are under arrest," he said. "It’s likely that there will be charges pressed in court. They will have a right to defend themselves."

SCDF deputy commissioner (DC) Chong Hoi Hung said SCDF does not condone unauthorised activities and will "take the officers to task" if they are found to have broken the rules.

"We have been telling our commanders to brief the men properly to ensure that they do not undertake such unauthorised activities," he said.

"At the onset itself, when our men come into the SCDF, when they undergo training, they have been briefed and told not to. After they have been posted to the units, there are constant reminders by the commanders to warn them of such unauthorised activities."

Mr Shanmugam said SCDF sets out what is acceptable and unacceptable conduct and has taken action during previous breaches. "We have to try and stamp it out," he reiterated.

The minister added that he, together with DC Chong, met with CPL Kok's family earlier on Monday.

"It was a tragic loss of life (involving a) young man full of potential,” Mr Shanmugam said of the incident. "Nothing is going to bring the young man back to life.”

Source: CNA/nc/(gs)

laurence82 SG

social media of gey kiang people dont read up and accuse SCDF of not looking for safety of servicemen and how sad is it to lose precious sons

i cant always watch my son/dotter to make sure they dont grab pong pong fruit off the tree and eat it

dumb people

FireIce SG

we have laws, rules, regulations

but ppl just break them, rite

iveco SG

So tragic. Timing also just after the death of CFC Dave Lee from 1st Guards.

QX179R SG

social media of gey kiang people dont read up and accuse SCDF of not looking for safety of servicemen and how sad is it to lose precious sons

i cant always watch my son/dotter to make sure they dont grab pong pong fruit off the tree and eat it

dumb people

Totally agreed

QX179R SG

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it has meted out "deterrent" punishments like detention for ragging activities, as it acknowledged the existence of such activities in the force.

"SCDF adopts a zero-tolerance policy against unauthorised activities such as 'ragging', and continually reinforces the deterrent measures against such activities," it said.

SCDF's statement follows a Channel NewsAsia report that shed light on the different ragging activities that SCDF servicemen engage in to mark milestones like reaching their operationally ready date (ORD) or retirement.

On May 13, SCDF full-time national serviceman Kok Yuen Chin died after he was found unconscious at the bottom of a 12m-deep fire station pump well. He had gone into the well as part of activities to celebrate his impending ORD.

The SCDF highlighted five cases of unauthorised activities from May 2010 to August 2015 that led to the detention of officers in the SCDF Detention Barracks.

Channel NewsAsia has contacted SCDF regarding the total number of reported cases over the years.

In the May 2010 case, SCDF said it punished seven officers with detention ranging from 15 to 23 days after two new officers were coerced to undergo an initiation session at their fire station’s pump well.

"They entered the well, and one of them later reported the incident to the SCDF," it added.

In the most recent highlighted case in August 2015, four officers were each punished with 10 days of detention for spraying white paint onto a new officer's chest, thighs and back as part of an initiation ritual.

The other cases involve using a dirty mop to rub and hit new officers’ heads and bodies, and applying toothpaste on graduating officers who were asleep, SCDF added.

Officers have been served detention of between three and 40 days in the examples highlighted.

SCDF said officers are allowed to report wrongful practices to their immediate supervisors, unit commander, director, commissioner and the Ministry of Home Affairs under a whistleblowing programme.

"Briefings on anti-ragging awareness are conducted for all personnel upon joining the SCDF, upon their postings to units, and at periodic intervals," it added.

"Anti-ragging materials such as videos and posters are produced and disseminated to increase officers’ awareness of SCDF’s zero-tolerance policy against ragging."

For NSF who break the rules, SCDF said their errant behaviour will be recorded in their Certificate of Service.

"Officers who carry out ragging activities will be liable for prosecution if there is criminal wrongdoing," it added.

Source: CNA/hz(hm)

QX179R SG

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) on Wednesday (May 23) announced a series of measures to guard against ragging and unauthorised activities within the force.

The enhanced measures come after the death of an SCDF full-time national serviceman (NSF), who drowned in a fire station pump well during activities to celebrate his impending Operationally Ready Date (ORD).

Metal grating will now be installed across the opening of pump wells, which will be locked to prevent unauthorised access. The use of pump wells will be strictly controlled, said SCDF, adding that CCTV coverage will be expanded.

Officers who did not participate in unauthorised activities, but were found to have done nothing to stop or report them despite being aware of what was happening, will also be punished.

"This sends a strong signal that such officers must also bear responsibility," said SCDF in a media release.

To help SCDF NSFs report any issues of concern, there will be more interview sessions with their supervisors.

Currently, the one-to-one interviews are conducted fortnightly during an NSF's first three months in a new unit. But moving forward, these interviews will also be held during the last three months of an NSF's service, and they will be conducted by senior SCDF officers who are not based at their same station.

"This ensures impartiality in the feedback process, and facilitates in reassuring the NSFs to bring up any issues of concern," said SCDF. "Any case of unauthorised activities reported during these interviews will be immediately surfaced to SCDF senior management for necessary follow-up action."

Families, too, will have access to a feedback channel. SCDF said it will set up a dedicated staff feedback helpline on a 24/7 basis to support its existing whistle-blowing framework.

"This will allow SCDF officers and their families to contact SCDF at any time to provide feedback relating to the workplace, including feedback and concerns over unacceptable practices."

SCDF reiterated its "zero tolerance" towards all forms of ragging and unauthorised initiation activities, adding that it will also "carefully consider" any recommendations that the Board of Inquiry might make.

The SCDF and Home Team agencies were tasked to relook the rules and how they are enforced, following the death of Corporal (CPL) Kok Yuen Chin.

Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam had said in Parliament last week that more needed to be done to prevent such incidents from happening again, calling the conduct of those involved in CPL Kok's case "unacceptable" and a "clear and serious violation of the rules".

Investigations are ongoing, but Mr Shanmugam said there will "almost certainly" be criminal proceedings.

Source: CNA/gs