When emergencies strike, balance between helping each other and living normally: Ong Ye Kung

In situations like the haze, the Acting Education Minister for Higher and Education Skills says measures will be taken to ensure the safety of Singaporeans, but it is important to live our lives as normally as possible.
Jamie Tan Channel NewsAsia 31 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE: On Emergency Preparedness Day at Punggol Community Club on Saturday (Oct 31), Acting Education Minister for Higher Education and Skills Ong Ye Kung urged the public to come together and help one another when the nation is struck by emergencies like haze.

However, he also said that while measures might be taken to ensure the safety of Singaporeans, it is important to live our lives as normally as possible.

Said Mr Ong: "There will always be calls to close down our schools, close down offices, but let’s be more careful because we do need to make sure ... every year the haze may come for a long time, but every year let's be prepared.

"Live life as normally as we can, cope with it, help each other out. Strike a balance between helping each other out and carrying on with our lives as per normal."

Mr Ong was attending a Musical CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) session with almost 100 Bedok Reservoir-Punggol residents. The session taught them how to memorise life-saving skills more easily with the help of musical beats. .

This is the first time it has been rolled out in the Aljunied constituency and comes as Singapore's survival rate for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases sits at 12.1 per cent.

Residents also participated in a fire scenario exercise where they learnt to respond to emergencies and fight fires. Educational booths were also set up by organisations like the Singapore Police Force, the National Environment Agency and the Chinese Development Assistance Council for residents to pick up further life-saving skills.

- CNA/hs