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The use of chlorine dioxides is also highly desirable

because it is a registered sterilant and, as a true gas,

highly penetrative, providing excellent distribution into

hard-to-reach areas.

The new photoionization detector (PID), Phocheck,

is capable of detecting toxic gases at very low thresh-

olds, from one part per billion to up to 10,000 parts per

million. This wide range gives the versatility to detect

toxic gas at levels low enough to constitute a health

hazard, as well as detect signs of leakage.

Total Containment Vehicle

– SCDF has also developed

a new specialist vehicle, the Total Containment Vehicle

(TCV). It features a special 100 per cent gas-tight

container that can be deployed to neutralize biological

agents and decontaminate chemical agents.

Enhancing preventive and regulatory measures

While SCDF is confident in conducting consequence

management, it believes in prevention as a first line of

defence. This is reflected in the expansion of regulatory

controls to prevent hazardous materials from being incor-

rectly used in the areas of import, transport and storage.

Implementation of flammable material regulations

–

Given the rapid growth of petrochemical and pharma-

ceutical industries in Singapore, new flammable

materials regulations were established in February 2005

to control non-petroleum based flammables.

SSM data centre

– In today’s global security environ-

ment, non-traditional sources of raw materials such as

toxic industrial chemicals, explosive precursors, poisons

and flammable materials may be exploited by terrorists.

To maintain control of all security-sensitive materials

(SSM) that are regulated by various national authorities,

SCDF is leading the development of a SSM Data Centre

that also involves the Ministry of Health, National

Environment Agency and Singapore Police Force. The

24/7 centre will serve as a focal point for SSM-related

issues, and provide trending and analysis assessments

that will enhance detection of unauthorized SSM use.

HazMat transportation drivers’ permit

– SCDF realized

that vehicles transporting HazMat may be used as impro-

vised terror weapons. It implemented the HazMat Transport

Drivers’ Permit (HTDP) Scheme in April 2003 to counter

this threat. All drivers of vehicles transporting HazMat must

possess the permit before they are allowed to drive in

Singapore. The scheme subjects them to security screening

and training at our academy. It is very successful and has

been expanded to cover the transportation of explosives.

HazMat transport vehicle tracking system (HTVTS)

–

SCDF further increased HazMat security in July 2005 by

tracking the movement of these vehicles on our roads.

Today, all Hazmat transport vehicles, including foreign

registered entering Singapore, are tracked in real time.

Vehicle movement, driver identity and inventory are moni-

tored constantly by the SCDF control room. Horns and

hazard warning lights on transport vehicles are designed

to trigger automatically as an alert if they deviate from

approved routes or transportation timings. In April 2007,

SCDF embarked on the next phase of HazMat security,

this purpose, SCDF is supported by the HazMat Incident Management

System (HIMS). It uses advanced communication technology to gather

information from a site, process it and transmit the results to comman-

ders on the ground. This translates into informed decision making. The

results obtained from the real-time reading of HazMat detectors can also

be translated into plume models for both indoor and outdoor scenarios.

Enhancing operational readiness

Special Rescue Battalion

– Terror attacks usually result in mass casu-

alties who must be rescued and given immediate medical attention to

improve their chances of survival. This requires a large number of

rescuers, and the Special Rescue Battalion (SRB), comprising full-

time national servicemen, was formed for this purpose. These men are

trained in fire fighting, decontamination, urban search and rescue

and basic first-aid, and are on constant standby. Every SRB platoon is

equipped with a specialized Personnel Decontamination Vehicle

(PDV), an SCDF innovation.

The PDV is a three-in-one vehicle – essentially a personnel decon-

tamination facility, a mass casualty ambulance, and a troop and

equipment transporter. Unlike most mobile decontamination facil-

ities, which require about 20 minutes to establish operations, the

PDV can be set up in under seven minutes. Each PDV can deconta-

minate up to 60 walking casualties or ten lying casualties per hour.

When converted into an ambulance bus it can carry up to 12 casu-

alties on stretchers, the same capacity as six ambulances. The PDV

can carry a platoon of 26 rescuers. Compartment spaces are also

available to hold a full range of rescue equipment.

Response to chemical agent incidents

– SCDF first embarked on

developing a chemical agent (CA) response capability in 1995 follow-

ing the Tokyo Sarin attack. Today, all fire stations possess the capability

to respond to CA incidents. SCDF’s personnel are trained and

equipped to detect and monitor the presence of CA, conduct rescue

in contaminated environments, and decontaminate casualties.

Pump ladder hasty decontamination capability

– In any CA inci-

dent, quick decontamination is critical to improve casualty

survivability and to prevent secondary contamination. Recognizing

this, SCDF fire pumpers have been retrofitted to enable the estab-

lishment of casualty decontamination facilities within three minutes

of arrival, through the integration of a shower system into the vehicle.

This innovation enables SCDF to decontaminate up to 36 walking or

six lying casualties every hour.

SWIFT

– SCDF also developed the Station With Immediate First

Aid Treatment (SWIFT) vehicle. The facility can be set up within

five minutes of arrival and has eight treatment tables for the stabi-

lization of severely injured casualties before hospital admission.

Response to bio agent incidents

– When there is a suspected point

source bio agent (BA) release (for instance, powdered anthrax inci-

dents), SCDF will be activated to perform sample collection and

decontamination of the affected areas. The response system is very

similar to that of a CA attack. With BA screening and analysis capa-

bility in our HazMat Control Vehicle, we are able to distinguish bio

agents from hoaxes within 15 minutes.

BioSensor, Minidox, PID detector

–SCDF is also equippedwith the latest

range of equipment to detect the presence of BA. One of them is the Smart

BioSensor, a continuous, real-timemonitoring device for detecting biolog-

ical warfare agents in ambient air. It takes just two minutes for detection

and five minutes to classify.

The Minidox is a chlorine dioxide gas generator system designed

for use in any decontamination; it is particularly effective for ducting.