Featured Serviceman

My name is Shahmir and I enlisted into National Service in July 2023 under the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). Since the majority of my friends were enlisting into the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), I knew from the beginning that my national service experience was going to be vastly different from them.

I won’t lie, I wasn’t entirely keen on the idea of serving National Service for 2 years. This feeling was amplified due to my international school background, not having gone through the local school system made me unfamiliar with Singaporean culture and, therefore, more ill-prepared for the social aspects of National Service. 

Although part of my assumption held true during my Basic Rescue Training period, I soon realised the diversity of the Singaporean demographic. Even within my bunk of 20 men, I was surrounded by different races, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds. Instead of using our differences as reasons for division, we used them as tools for cohesion. Sharing our unique backgrounds and cultural practices brought us closer together. To this day, I am still in touch with several of my fellow recruits from my basic training period and I am forever grateful to them for helping me through an important transitional period in my life - going from civilian to NSF. 

After my basic training, I went through the FFC (Firefighter course). This 3 month course was one of the most physically tasking yet rewarding periods of my life. Tasks which seemed simple at face value, like managing fire hoses and acclimatising to bunker gear, turned out to be some of the most physically gruelling tasks I had ever done. Luckily, with the help of my batch mates and my instructors, I was able to endure the training and complete the course. Some of the most memorable experiences from my training included Road Traffic Accident (RTA) training, the Breathing Apparatus Proficiency Test (BAPT), and the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) training day. If I had to give one piece of advice to those going through FFC, it would be that physical weakness is not what differentiates a good fireman from a bad one, it is one’s mental fortitude. If you are able to push past your limits and mentally endure the discomfort, you will be able to surpass all obstacles in your path and witness your physical strength elevate as a result. Mind over matter. As an unathletic and pudgy teenager myself, this was one of the best lessons I received during my training. 

After completing my training, I was posted to Central Fire Station. My mindset during my “junior fireman” period was to remain as humble as possible while absorbing as much information and lessons from my experiences as I could. Although I was initially apprehensive about being posted to one of Singapore’s busiest fire stations, I soon realised I was granted this rare and amazing opportunity to respond to a range of challenging and interesting calls for less than two years. Therefore, I wanted to make the most of it and learn as much as I could and create stories and memories which would last a lifetime. So far, I have responded to a range of calls including fires, complex rescue operations, medical calls, and even water mishaps. 

After having been in the station for a while, I have assumed even more responsibility as a “senior fireman” as I am now responsible for teaching and guiding the newly posted firemen to ensure that they are ready for the fire ground. This is one of the unique aspects about my vocation which I appreciate. Although I did not go through specialist or command school, I am still given the opportunity to display and strengthen my leadership skills by guiding the junior firemen. 

Overall, so far my time in SCDF has been fruitful and has taught me several lessons which I will hold with me past my time as a National Serviceman. My final piece of advice to those about to join NS or who are currently serving is to try your hardest to view all the challenges you face with rose-tinted glasses. Avoiding discomfort in National Service is practically impossible, but if you are able to apply a mindset which focuses on harvesting the positive elements from your experiences, you will find yourself emerging from National Service as an better version of yourself.