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SINGAPORE: When Singapore Civil Defense Forces (SCDF) Rescue Sergeant (SGT3), Muhammad Faris Mohammed, finally reached the victim, he knew immediate medical attention was needed.
“That person was seriously injured,” the 33-year-old man, a member of the SCDF’s Disaster Rescue and Assistance Team (DART), told reporters on Thursday (September 10).
“He had an open wound on his left leg, from below the hip to near the ankle.”
But SGT3 Faris was not treating any normal medical emergencies. He was crouched on a narrow platform, there was barely enough room for two people to be side by side, suspended 10 stories high.
He couldn’t afford to arrange his medical equipment and the wind made things more complicated. Everything, including his body, was attached to a harness that would prevent a fatal free fall.
READ: SCDF rescuers rescue an injured worker from a 40 m high crane
Late Monday afternoon, SCDF firefighters and DART rescue specialists rushed to a construction site on How Sun Drive after a man working on a 40-meter high crane injured his leg. and it will get stuck.
SCDF said the equipment is used for rescues from heights, as first responders are often deployed in residential units when people are at risk of jumping.
But the fact that it was a medical emergency on a tow truck made it one of the most complex operations, SCDF said.
At the construction site, four DART rescuers remained on the ground to prepare a stretcher for the casualty.
Four others, including SGT3 Faris, climbed a ladder to the top of the crane before traversing 15m of the narrow platform to where the man was sitting.
“I tried to make him feel comfortable by letting him lie down and giving him some oxygen,” said SGT3 Faris, who is also trained as an emergency medical technician.
SGT3 Faris assessed that the man needed immediate treatment as the rescue operation would take some time, adding that the man cooperated and moved as he was told.
SGT3 Faris bandaged the wound to prevent infection while his colleagues installed a rope and pulley system for the stretcher. “We did everything we could to shorten the time it took to take him down,” SGT3 Faris said.
A SCDF lifeguard and an injured worker on a stretcher descend to the ground. (Screenshots: Facebook / SCDF)
Once this was done, the DART crews on the crane and on the ground lifted the stretcher up to the man and secured him firmly on it. The multiple straps on the stretcher prevented it from slipping regardless of the victim’s movement.
SGT3 Faris said that patient safety is a priority. “We make sure we have a good anchor,” he added. “We make sure all of our accessories are clearly secured before helping the patient onto the stretcher.”
Even before the stretcher was lowered, a DART rescuer first rappelled down to test the strength of the rope system. The man was taken to the ground about an hour after the operation.
An SCDF paramedic evaluated the man before he was sent to Sengkang General Hospital. The Ministry of Manpower is investigating the incident.
WITHOUT FEAR OF HEIGHTS
In telling its story, SGT3 Faris appeared unfazed by the dizzying height and claustrophobic conditions involved in the operation. He has been with the SCDF for 11 years and had also served as a firefighter.
“Before we even get into the DART unit, we have a fair amount of training where we have to overcome these challenges,” he said.
After all, DART specialists are trained for complex operations like urban and water search and rescue, as well as heli-cube operations. Some are also deployed overseas for major disaster relief efforts.
SGT3 Faris said his wife, two sons and a daughter understand the additional risks involved in participating in DART.
“I explain to my family that safety is our first priority,” he added. “This helps them to be calm when I’m at work. SCDF prepares us for these kinds of situations.”
DART Commander Lt. Col. Lok Wee Keong, 43, said rescuers lift and lower a lot while training on a hose tower, which is almost as tall as a crane.
“Frankly speaking, everyone is afraid of heights,” he added. “It’s about overcoming fear. With proper training, I think you’ll get used to it more.”
