SAF Implements Emergency Ambulance Service

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Medical Corps introduced the SAF Emergency Ambulance Service (EAS) on 19 January 2015 to enhance the existing Emergency Medical Support System (EMSS). The new SAF EAS allows direct evacuation of serious casualties at training areas outside SAF camps to the nearest restructured hospital while receiving appropriate medical treatment en route. It augments the current EMSS by introducing EAS ambulances into our evacuation procedures. Training activities which are already supported by on-site SAF MO and SAF ambulances will not be affected by this new initiative and will continue to use the existing system of direct evacuation to the nearest restructured hospital.

Prior to 19 January 2015, serious casualties at training areas outside SAF camps would be evacuated by two modes - either by the SAF's designated safety vehicle to the nearest medical facility before onward evacuation by SAF ambulance to the nearest restructured hospital, or by the on-site SAF ambulance directly to the nearest restructured hospital.

With the new SAF EAS, all serious casualties will be evacuated directly to the nearest restructured hospital by either the new SAF EAS ambulance or the on-site SAF ambulance. In the event of an emergency, the training unit will render first responder medical assistance before evacuating the casualty to one of 16 identified Casualty Collection Points (CCPs) in the northern and western regions of Singapore, where the majority of the SAF's training areas are located. Concurrently, the EAS ambulance will be activated from one of six nearby EAS launch bases to the corresponding CCP. At the CCP, the casualty will be transferred onto the EAS ambulance for evacuation to the nearest restructured hospital while receiving appropriate medical attention en route. Overall, the new EAS will enable more expedient medical aid to be rendered to the casualty as the EAS ambulance will now be activated to move forward to the CCP to link up with the casualty.

Each EAS ambulance is operated by a 3-man team staffed by qualified personnel from incumbent ambulance service providers trained to the national standards of medical proficiency.

The health and well-being our servicemen are of paramount importance and the SAF constantly reviews its medical system to ensure that our medical protocols remain robust.

More Resources

• SAF introduces new ambulance service