Ahead of Total Defence Day on 15 February, it’s good to remind ourselves to remain vigilant and know how to respond when faced with an emergency situation.
Here, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) shares about the new myResponder app and Lifesavers’ Emergency Point (LEP) Project, both designed to allow the community to lend a helping hand and do their part for Civil Defence.
Enhancements to the new myResponder App
The myResponder app, introduced in 2015, notifies Community First Responders (CFRs) of nearby suspected cardiac arrest cases and locations of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to bridge the critical interval between the onset of an emergency and the arrival of SCDF emergency responders.
The app was enhanced in 2018 to notify CFRs of nearby minor fires and allow CFRs to submit first-hand information such as photos and videos of the on-site situation. The app continues to serve the community in saving lives through the activation of CFRs who could provide immediate response to the cases.
To further strengthen SCDF’s partnership with the community, the app has undergone further enhancements in 2024 (i.e. the new myResponder App) to bolster its app performance and facilitate CFRs’ response to cases. The refreshed new myResponder app provides a more interactive app experience for CFRs to sustain their interest in the app and encourage them to be more active on the app.
The CFR-centric new features in the app are:
- Personalised dashboard and profile: CFRs can view the cases they responded to, and their ‘badges’ of achievements.
- Mode of response: In the previous version of the app, CFRs who were within 400m from the incident, and drivers on the ‘AED-on Wheels’ Programme who were within 1.5km from the incident, were alerted. With the new enhancement, users can now select the mode of response (e.g. vehicle, on foot, or bicycle) and customise the radius in which the CFRs can receive notifications of cases that they could better render help. For example, a CFR who usually commutes on bicycles can indicate a wider response radius of 800m, while a CFR who usually commutes by vehicle can indicate an even wider response radius of 1.5km.
- Video call function: This function in the new myResponder app allows SCDF to have a better scene appreciation before the arrival of SCDF’s emergency responders. The SCDF Operations Centre can also guide CFRs in their intervention, for example, how to perform CPR when attending to a case, thereby boosting CFRs’ confidence in responding to cases. This feature is scheduled to be released in late 2025.
- Respond Together: In the new app, CFRs can respond to a case together with other CFRs and have a geo-tagged chat group with other CFRs and/or SCDF Operations Centre responding to the same incident. This feature helps smoothen the process in rendering help and alleviate CFRs’ fear of responding alone.
- Learn Page: To maintain user engagement during non-emergency moments, the new app includes bite-sized emergency preparedness e-learning modules under the Learn page. These modules serve as an avenue for introducing new CFRs to life-saving skills, while experienced CFRs can participate in refresher lessons, with the aim of enhancing their confidence when responding to emergency cases.
- Wellbeing Check-In: To support the CFRs’ mental health, a Wellbeing Check-In feature will be prompted on the app after a CFR responds to an incident. This feature provides guidelines on different coping techniques for CFRs in the aftermath of a stressful situation as well as various support avenues available.
- Community News: CFRs can stay informed about the latest developments through the new Community Stories page. This section highlights SCDF articles and the latest CFR success stories, serving as inspiration for CFRs to step forward and respond to emergencies.
Since the enhancement of the myResponder app, over 26,000 new users have installed the app and as of 31 December 2024, there are more than 200,000 registered CFRs.
Download the myResponder app (available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play store) to register as a Community First Responder (CFR) now. To learn more, go to scdf.gov.sg/home/community—volunteers/community-resources/myresponder-app.
Lifesavers’ Emergency Point (LEP) Project
The main causes of residential fires are typically unattended cooking, leaving lighted materials about, and fires of electrical origin such as those caused by faulty electrical appliances or wirings. Other than injuries and fatalities, homeowners and affected neighbours also suffer from emotional distress, property damage and the need to seek temporary accommodation.
While fire safety is the responsibility of homeowners, SCDF advocates and encourages homeowners to equip their homes with fire extinguishers. While HDB units are compartmentalised and constructed based on fire-resistant materials that prevent fire spread, these incidences could be further mitigated if the occupants were equipped with fire-fighting equipment like extinguishers to prevent fire spread. However, SCDF also recognises that there are deterring factors, such as the cost of purchasing and maintaining fire extinguishers.
As such, with the support of partners, namely Temasek Foundation, Ministry of National Development (MND), Housing & Development Board (HDB) and the various Town Councils, SCDF has embarked on a five-year trial from 2023 to 2028 to progressively install and maintain one fire extinguisher at the ground floor lift lobby of every two HDB blocks in Singapore for use by residents during fire emergencies.
Known as the Lifesavers’ Emergency Point (LEP), these fire extinguishers would be installed alongside the AEDs at the HDB lift lobbies, to ensure easy identification and access to both equipment. The LEP is an extension of the Save-A-Life initiative, where SCDF installed AEDs at the lift lobby of every two HDB residential blocks.
As part of the LEP project, SCDF also trains residents in emergency preparedness skills via the newly launched Responders Plus Programme and continues to activate CFRs registered via the myResponder App to respond to minor fires such as rubbish chute/bin fires. Members of the public can also access and utilise these fire extinguishers in cases of fire emergencies, where it is safe for them to do so.
As of end January 2025, SCDF has already installed fire extinguishers at over 5,000 lift lobbies islandwide. Thus far, more than 70 LEP fire extinguishers have been used by residents for emergencies. Additionally, CFR responses have resulted in at least one out of every two minor fire incidents being addressed without the need for dispatching SCDF appliances. This efficiency enables SCDF to allocate our resources more effectively to other emergencies.
Know what to do in an emergency with these tips from SCDF.
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