I think not. in fact, i think that it is long overdue. detractors need not post, or else my thread may be closed. thank you. i think, for those fortunate to participate, pls share your experience, whether it is in exacuating from an mrt train in tunnel(i am actually hoping for this expereince), bus services, inconveniences, etc. thank you.
Emergency exercise a waste of time?
- Thread starter reachme2003
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they have chosen on a sunday morning which i think many are still asleep. would like to hear from those who had participated.
Nothing can silence critics and detractors until a bomb really goes off and blood had been shed. 
So IMHO, let them talk. It wun kill. Wait till they see blood fly, wait till they see ppl die in front of them. And see their reaction.
So IMHO, let them talk. It wun kill. Wait till they see blood fly, wait till they see ppl die in front of them. And see their reaction.
boarded the train at about 6.30am from changi airport, and then the PA systems announced the news about the exercise...got off at bugis, boarded the bus to outram mrt.
confusion, raining, people cursing...got the "pek cek" feeling....but i'm glad that it's just an exercise....
confusion, raining, people cursing...got the "pek cek" feeling....but i'm glad that it's just an exercise....
gee, i wish i was on tt train, such exercise seems so fun 2 b part of. all i hav is my trusty flashlight which i bring if i go out. but a report stated tt in a blast, most ppl will need EyE treatment.
should i get such a kit? or jus a pair of swimming goggles? :think:
should i get such a kit? or jus a pair of swimming goggles? :think:
jsbn said:Nothing can silence critics and detractors until a bomb really goes off and blood had been shed.
So IMHO, let them talk. It wun kill. Wait till they see blood fly, wait till they see ppl die in front of them. And see their reaction.
I agree totally..but then again...majority of Singapore have that "acting like ostrich with their head hidden under the ground in self denial" But opps..wait... I am a detractor heheh..aiyo.
They have their right fo view , you have yours too and in a way I can also understand the MODs here who will shut this off or be edgy about it. You want this site banned or asked to shut down for allowing freedom of expression of the "wrong" kind? Don't mean to stir up a hornet's nest here but just had to be said at least once. Okay...I shall shut my mouth now...no typical rant on this for me. I like CS to stay.That is the only reason why I will not get into it. And yes I do respect my fellow uniformed brudders and the duty to prepare for situations like this. And I have been there before and in real situations and not just practice and make believe. Can tell you. Nothing can prepare you for the real things. It can stay with you for life. If they want to really drill this in, I hope this will be a regular thing and not just a press-opportunity for just the top brass once in a blue moon.
sORe-EyEz said:
In a blast the air will be choke full of stuff too...you going to get a gas mask as well?
A train half empty, with a bomb blast, lights goes off, there will be smoke choking you, you are in the dark, people will be stampeing all over trying to get out and stepping all over people. There will lots of loub screaming and confusion. In a confine space, a blast can blow ear drums. Trying to leave the train will not be good if the rails are still electrify so getting off the train via the emergency door opener might mean certain death. And I don;t even mean you are in the same compartment that exploded. You could be a few doors down. So what are you going to do? If anything, for those who were on the train during this exercise this morning (like I was), it just goes to show how easy as I see folks to stay calm or be abit irritated about this whole drama taking so long to be stuck ....and all this in a well lit and still working train with the air still circulating. The real situation will be a hundred times worst.
What I am saying is...get a swimming googles if that will help ease your fear but really...let's put some perspective on the situation lah heheh. Paranoid precaution is as good as saying the terrorist has won....without even stepping on your nation's soil.
My suggestion.sORe-EyEz said:
Don't take trains cos its susceptible to terror attacks.
Don't take buses cos its susceptible to terror attacks.
Don't take cabs cos it may be another car bomb.
Don't walk on the streets cos u may be the victim of a terrorist assassination.
Stay in ur home.
There's a limit to paranoia and I think we shld just get on with our lives. Terrorists or not. If we are fated to die at that moment, how the hell are u going to stop it? With ur hands?
jsbn said:My suggestion.
Don't take trains cos its susceptible to terror attacks.
Don't take buses cos its susceptible to terror attacks.
Don't take cabs cos it may be another car bomb.
Don't walk on the streets cos u may be the victim of a terrorist assassination.
Stay in ur home.
There's a limit to paranoia and I think we shld just get on with our lives. Terrorists or not. If we are fated to die at that moment, how the hell are u going to stop it? With ur hands?
Sounds morbid but that is the fact of life. If one thinks that by never mentioning the word "death" will make it not come true? You are kidding yourself. Even without the existence of terorism, everytime you get out of bed and out of your home, you are rolling a dice of chance.
911 was a very good example and this in one of the most well armed country with the best defend technology to spy on others but yet. Who would have thought....planes crashing into buidlings.
Don't be caught in what I call the "herd" mentality.
reachme2003 said:
Well, I personally do not think it is a waste of time, but for this round of exercise, I think it should not be consider as a success.
Why do I say that? Reasons are because all involved personnel and units are all on standby, hospital crews' leave were cancelled just to be on standby for this excercise. Some public members were aware of the date of the exercise. Me, for one, already knew that it will be on Sunday, 080106.
How then are we able to test the effectiveness and efficiency of the units and the actual response of the public? And like some said, it happened on a early, and really early Sunday monrning, where many were still sleeping.
While it is a good exercise, areas of improvement are needed for sure. I hope the next round of excercise, it will be strictly confidential. Then, we will know the true response of the public and all units.
Eh.... did I detract? If I did, sorry... :sweat:
I don't think it is a waste of time. An Emergency Exercise serves several objectives. Firstly, the training of the units in responding to the Emergency. Of course it can never be as realistic as a real Emergency, but the training is definitely of value as it requires extensive planning, logistics and coordination with a number of government agencies. Secondly, to convey a message to the would-be terrorists that we are prepared to deal with terrorist attack and to deal with it efficiently. In other words, it may not be worthwhile to attack Singapore since we are ready to face the worst, without any change in our anti-terrorist stance. In some ways, it is like the military deterrent provided by military exercises carried out by the SAF. Thirdly, it helps to shape the mindset of Singaporeans to prepare for the worst, so that they are better prepared when a real emergency arises. We can't always prevent bad things from happening, but being prepared is half the battle won.
i agree with Zaren.. it wouldn't be a wastage of resources as i find it more like a warning to the terr*rists.. than to Singaporeans. though i do wonder what would Singaporeans really do in a real attack ?
otherwise, i shall count my blessings now, every single day that i hope no one else would come to harm..
otherwise, i shall count my blessings now, every single day that i hope no one else would come to harm..
That's OK. If you trace back the early days of SAF mobilisation exercises, they started pretty much the same way. Advance notices given days ahead. Since then, the present day mobilisation is silent and everybody more or less is used to it already. So, in a way, the emergency exercises may progress to a stage where everybody is familiar and accept it as part of our lives.kevyan said:
the emergency exercise should be conducted on a busy weekday at peak hour for utmost realism, don't you think
I think that it's not a waste of time, but they should have conducted it on a weekday where at least there would be more people and more "confusion." That's the best time to simulate something instead of the wee hours of a Sunday morning. Just my two cents.
It's partly a waste of time, & partly not.
We all know that an exercise like this is too fake already, but no one wanna publicly admit it.
It's more like a "training" exercise than an "emergency" exercise. I'm sure everyone is already prepared for this the night before (do correct me if I'm wrong), down to the nurses in the hospitals. When a real emergency happens at that time of the day, I'm sure everyone will be at home sleeping soundly, with backgroud lightning & thunder.
We all know that an exercise like this is too fake already, but no one wanna publicly admit it.
It's more like a "training" exercise than an "emergency" exercise. I'm sure everyone is already prepared for this the night before (do correct me if I'm wrong), down to the nurses in the hospitals. When a real emergency happens at that time of the day, I'm sure everyone will be at home sleeping soundly, with backgroud lightning & thunder.
Although all exercises are for training purposes, it makes sense to start with a smaller scale one. A bit kelong like announcement also makes sense, to avoid real confusion.
Just like in the army, you start with some smaller scale training exercises first before going for a biggie exercise that will involve a division.
There is a higher chance of screwing up if the first exercise is a big one.
Just like in the army, you start with some smaller scale training exercises first before going for a biggie exercise that will involve a division.
There is a higher chance of screwing up if the first exercise is a big one.
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