SCDF shares how heavy firefighting can be, and netizens are impressed

SINGAPORE — On Wednesday (Mar 11), the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) shared a post on Facebook illustrating exactly how heavy firefighting equipment can be, and netizens could not contain their admiration and gratitude for the public servants’ strength and dedication.

SCDF firefighters work around the clock to keep Singapore safe, responding to emergency calls and situations—and literally putting fires out—at all hours. They put Singaporeans’ safety first and go through rigorous training and to be able to keep up with the physical and mental strain of the job.

Watching a firetruck rush past, with sirens blazing and firefighters gearing up for battle, it’s hard not to feel both worried and a little bit impressed at the same time as firemen rush to the rescue.

The SCDF took to its Facebook page to proudly post about their firefighters, who have to handle, carry and operate different safety equipment that weighs, well, not a ton, but a lot!

Aside from the Personal Protective Equipment that officers have to wear for their own safety, the additional equipment they have to bring with them could weigh up to 60 kilos, which is basically like carrying another person.

Featuring SGT2 (NS) Mohamed Farhan Makalintal Bin Jumali from Marina Bay Fire Station, the picture story shows the firefighter in a series of five photos.

The first photo portrays the officer, who weighs around 80 kilos, in his “everyday No. 4 uniform and fire boots”. Firefighters are attired as such when in the fire station and when attending to administrative duties.

In the second photo, SGT2 Mohamed is wearing his firefighting attire, with suit and helmet, which the SCDF calls “Bunker Gear”. His gloves can be seen attached to his pants. The firefighters put on this gear when responding to fire and other rescue situations. With the added personal protective equipment, he has added seven kilos to his weight, bringing the total to 87 kilos.

The third photo in the series shows the firefighter wearing a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) set, which protects the officers from respiratory hazards when working in an environment full of smoke. The SCBA has added a further 15 kilos to the firefighter’s gear, bringing his total weight to 102 kilos.

In the fourth photos, SGT2 Mohamed has added a rabbit tool, power saw and bolt cutter to his gear. They are the most common tools used by the firefighters to enter various openings in premises as they conduct their rescue and firefighting operations. The tools add 28 kilos to his weight, which comes in at 130 kilos. 

In the last photo of the series, the officer is seen with everything they would need to fulfill their duties in firefighting and rescue operations—their official firefighting attire, SCBA set, 64mm diameter hose, dividing breeching, dry powder fire extinguisher and firefighting nozzle. With an additional 10 kilos added to his weight, SGT2 Mohamed carries a total weight of 140 kilos, which is 60 kilos more than his 80 kilo-frame. 

“These equipment together with our knowledge and skills acquired through continuous training enable us to carry out our lifesaving mission for a safer Singapore ??,” wrote the SCDF at the end of their post.

The post, which garnered around 1,300 likes and nearly 700 shares, had netizens gushing with respect, admiration and gratitude for the officers’ strength and commitment to their duties:

Here is the SCDF’s Facebook post:

/TISG