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6 December 2007 was just like any other enlistment day at the Basic Military Training Centre (BMTC) on Pulau Tekong. On this day, family members and friends received a tour of the camp facilities and even got a taste of cookhouse food to better understand the living conditions that enlistees would be provided with.
In the morning, one of the visiting parents felt unwell and was rushed to the Medical Centre. The parent was so breathless that he could not even lie flat for examination. A quick check revealed that his lungs were filled with water, which is fatal within minutes if not treated. Although the team at the medical centre was attending to servicemen reporting sick, they immediately focussed their attention on the parent who was assessed to be severely ill. Patients with less severe conditions were given preliminary treatment and requested to hold on during this emergency period. This concept of allocating treatment priorities, known as triage, is one of the fundamental doctrines in the practice of Emergency Medicine.
CPT Huang Zhong Wei, one of the Medical Officers who treated the parent, shared, "The regular training and resuscitation drills paid off as every medic sprang into action, assisting me and two other Medical Officers to resuscitate the patient. Intravenous lines were set up and diuretic drugs administered within minutes to "flush out" the water in his lungs. This maintained his airway and breathing so that he was stabilized for evacuation to the hospital." He was later heli-evacuated to the Singapore General Hospital for further treatment.
Later that day, Head Public Relations Officer, Mr Ng Chin Seng spotted a visitor who was experiencing breathing difficulties. When the visitor's condition worsened, BMTC School 1 Commanding Officer LTC Loong Tean Yuan immediately requested a mini-bus to bring the him to the medical centre.
Upon arrival, the visitor was gasping for air. An oxygen probe revealed that he had only half the normal amount of oxygen. An initial diagnosis of acute respiratory failure was made which required his speedy evacuation to a hospital. Once again, the resuscitation room was filled with action as the Medical Officer and medics fought to save the visitor, who was subsequently heli-evacuated to the hospital.
Today, both patients are alive and well. This is a fine testimony to the operational readiness of our Army in handling medical contingencies of any kind. Mr Ng credited both successful treatments to the efficiency and professionalism of the medical staff. He said, "Even after the first heli-evacuation, the staff did not relax. Instead, they worked hard at replenishing all their supplies. They were already prepared for the next severe casualty. We received positive feedback later from other parents who heard about the incidents, expressing their confidence in our abilities to handle emergencies."
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