A counter-terrorism and emergency preparedness exercise codenamed “Exercise Heartbeat” was held at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College West on 18 November 2024.
The exercise was organised by the Singapore Police Force (SPF), supported by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), in close collaboration with ITE College West and Public-Private Partnership Infrastructure Management (premise owner of ITE College West campus).
Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of National Development, was the Guest-of-Honour at the event.
“Exercise Heartbeat” exemplifies collaboration between the Home Team and the community to enhance community preparedness in dealing with terror attacks under the SGSecure movement. This exercise is a timely reminder and opportunity for stakeholders and building owners to regularly review their security measures, validate their contingency protocols, and bolster their emergency preparedness against potential terror attacks.
Adopting an informative “show and tell” format, this exercise simulated a multi-faceted terror attack, comprising scenarios including a suicide bomber, hostile vehicle attack, armed terrorists, and a rescue operation involving the neutralisation of the armed assailants.
The exercise demonstrated the coordinated capabilities between the SPF and our stakeholders in responding to a terror attack. In particular, our stakeholders showcased their application of the SGSecure key advisories “Run, Hide, Tell” and “Press, Tie, Tell” (or improvised first aid) prior to the arrival of SPF and SCDF.
The Civil Defence Lionhearters, a group of student volunteers trained by the SCDF in emergency skills, also rendered immediate assistance for both on-campus and off-campus emergencies, helping to save lives and minimise property damage during the exercise.
Emcee Lester Leo was the emcee and narrator for Exercise Heartbeat.