Singapore Civil Defence Force Leads the Way

By: Robert Avsec, FSPA Fire Service Leader

Me and my colleagues at the Fire Service Psychology Association congratulate Swee Giang Khoo and her colleagues at the Singapore Civil Defence Force as they continue to be great role models for how to merge psychology and emergency services together for the betterment of all members of the SCDF!

Swee recently posted the following on her LinkedIn page:

In 2008, I joined the SCDF’s 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 (𝐂𝐌𝐓) to oversee the management of counselling support for personnel and development of the Paracounsellor Scheme. Back then, the team was only staffed by 4 officers who were trained in psychology and were trying to advocate for better awareness of psychology in the field of emergency services.

5 years on in 2013, the team expanded to the 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭 (𝐄𝐁𝐒𝐂) to enhance psychological capabilities in the Force. Over the years, the unit grew and by 2024, it comprised 15 officers with a good mix of trained psychologists, uniformed officers and management executive to expand the application of psychology in SCDF.

On 1 April 2025, EBSC was re-organised to a full-fledged department called the 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐏𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 (𝐄𝐏𝐒𝐃). This marked a significant milestone which demonstrated the increasing importance of psychology’s role in emergency response settings.

Though I could not celebrate this moment with my colleagues in Singapore, it was all the more meaningful for me to witness this transition here in Myanmar where I am deployed as an EBSC→EPSD in-situ psychologist with the SCDF Operation Lionheart contingent following the 2025 Myanmar earthquake. This also demonstrated the journey of psychology in SCDF which started with a focus on personnel psychological well-being to disaster and crisis support.

Thankful for the opportunity for me to grow in my profession in tandem with the development of psychology in SCDF. I am also grateful for the support and strong belief that our management in SCDF and the Home Team have in how psychology has a role to play in the Life Saving Force.

We have had the pleasure of having Swee Giang Khoo present at several FSPA conferences–both virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic and most recently at our conference last October in Washington, D.C. I encourage everyone who is passionate about “bridging the gap between professional psychology and the fire service” to follow her LinkedIn!