Roadshows, neighbourhood visits in new campaign push to raise awareness on residential fire risks

SINGAPORE: From weekly neighbourhood visits to community roadshows, a national campaign on residential fire safety is underway in Singapore.

The initiative, named “Better Awareness, Safer Homes”, will teach residents how to respond to fire emergencies and spot potential hazards both at home and in their communities.

This comes as concern grows over fires caused by personal mobility devices (PMDs), which have doubled in the first half of this year. 

FIRE SAFETY AT HOME

The campaign is a joint initiative by the National Fire and Emergency Preparedness Council (NFEC), Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and People’s Association (PA). 

It kicked off in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and Marymount SMC, both managed by the Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council, over the weekend.  

Town councils will step up weekly inspections in common areas to ensure shared stairwells and passageways are free of obstructions that can impede a fire evacuation. 

“(Our) trained … members will go round to HDB blocks (and) patrol staircases and corridors. They'll take pictures of any fire safety hazards and report to OneService,” said NFEC’s vice chairman John Wu.

OneService is an app the public can use to submit feedback on municipal issues, which will then be directed to the relevant agencies to resolve. In cases like clutter along shared spaces in neighbourhoods, town councils will take action to remove it. 

Speaking at a Community Resilience Day event held at Plaza@128 in Toa Payoh on Sunday (Oct 19), National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat stressed the importance of preparedness and community vigilance in preventing residential fires.

“Community resilience is not just what a few individuals or agencies can achieve on their own. It is important for all of us to be committed,” said Mr Chee, who is a Member of Parliament for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.

“When we are ready and prepared, we raise our level of readiness and strengthen the resilience of the whole community.”

PMD FIRES A GROWING CONCERN

During the event, Mr Chee warned that fires involving non-compliant active mobility devices remain a significant worry. 

In the first half of 2025, there were 20 fires involving PMDs, twice the number recorded in the same period last year, according to the SCDF.

Over the years, investigations found that many of these incidents stemmed from modified or non-original battery packs, as well as knock-off chargers purchased from online marketplaces or unlicensed sellers. 

There were 77 active mobility device-related fires in HDB estates due to non-compliant parts in the past three years. 

Such fires are typically more severe and more likely to cause injuries or fatalities. 

“Always buy from the proper shops. Don't go and zhng your device, use the original approved batteries for your own safety,” said Mr Chee, using the Hokkien term to describe modify.  

Mr Chee also cautioned residents against trying to extinguish PMD fires on their own, as such fires are often difficult to control.

“The fire extinguisher that you have at home or in the common areas may not be suitable or enough to deal with PMD fires,” he said. “Call SCDF quickly so that the professional firefighters can come to put out the fire.”

Authorities are now considering tougher action against users and sellers of such modified devices, as well as reviewing guidelines on the safe storage and charging of PMDs. 

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IS KEY

Mr Chee said that aside from PMDs, the wider goal is to encourage all residents to keep common areas free of clutter and practise good fire safety habits.

He also encouraged more members of the public to train as community first responders, who are equipped with core lifesaving skills and can assist in emergencies until professional help arrives. 

The public can sign up for the SCDF’s Responders Plus Programme, which provides participants with training in areas including first aid and firefighting.

There are also programmes available at community centres catered to educate and support the public in essential civil defence skills and knowledge.

“Every skill that you learn today, every safety check that you perform, contributes to (a) more resilient community. Let us all do our part to improve the safety of our homes and our community,” said Mr Chee.

The campaign will move on to other heartlands in the months ahead.

Community volunteers across all constituencies have been trained to check for potential fire hazards around their neighbourhoods. 

Roadshows will be held to promote fire prevention measures and demonstrate how residents can respond effectively in an emergency.