PCG officers awarded for daring fish farm fire rescue
Two officers from the Police Coast Guard (PCG) were lauded for their bravery and quick thinking after successfully coordinating a rescue operation at a burning fish farm near Pulau Tekong on Jan 21.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Abdul Rahman Mohamad Karim, Land Commander at PCG, and Senior Staff Sergeant (SSS) Woon Guo Jin, Assistant Boat Commander of a PCG patrol vessel, wasted no time in responding to the late-night emergency.
The officers swiftly coordinated a joint response with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and the Maritime Port Authority (MPA) upon receiving news of the blaze.
Arriving at the scene, ASP Rahman, SSS Woon and their team of PCG officers immediately set to work containing the fire and preventing it from spreading to nearby structures.
Utilising fire extinguishers from their patrol vessel, the officers battled the flames until the arrival of the SCDF.
On Oct 22, their heroic efforts were recognized at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Operational Excellence Awards ceremony held at the Home Team Academy on Old Choa Chu Kang Road.
The annual event celebrates the exemplary performance of individuals, teams, and agencies within the MHA who have demonstrated exceptional skill and dedication in their respective fields.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister for Home Affairs Mr K Shanmugam praised the team for their collaboration with the SCDF and the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in safeguarding lives and property.
“13 persons were evacuated from the fish farm with the efforts of the PCG, while SCDF ensured that the fire did not spread and minimised further damage,” said Mr Shanmugam.
A total of 135 awards were presented, with half involving inter-agency collaborations.
Reflecting on the dramatic events, 52-year-old ASP Abdul Rahman shared with Berita Harian that his priority was the safety of the fish farm workers.
"Thinking about my daughter at home, I could imagine the urgency of the situation and the need to save these workers' lives," he said.
SSS Woo, 33, added that the language barrier posed a significant challenge during the rescue.
“Communication was difficult. We used hand signals to guide the foreign workers to safety," he shared.
Following the incident, an outpouring of public support flooded social media, commending the two PCG officers for their dedication and courage.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now