Schools, offices to simulate power, food supply disruptions as part of inaugural Total Defence Day exercise

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Over two weeks from Feb 15, participating buildings will run simulated disruptions that include shutting power, closing toilets and reducing food options at canteens and pantries.

Brigadier-General Kelvin Fan (centre), flanked by Ms Samantha Tan, general manager of South Beach Consortium, and Mr Jack Lim, managing director of Community Chest, Jan 22, 2024. (Photo: MINDEF)

SINGAPORE: Imagine a civil emergency in Singapore, with disruptions to power, water, food supply and digital connectivity. How prepared would you be?

This is the scenario that will be simulated at locations islandwide to mark this year's Total Defence Day, which will take place on a grander scale to mark 40 years since the concept of total defence was introduced in Singapore. 

Participants at more than 500 buildings, including schools and offices, are set to be involved in an inaugural exercise dubbed Exercise SG Ready.

Over a two-week period from Feb 15 to 29, participating premises such as community facilities, government and commercial buildings, as well as attractions will run simulated disruptions.

These include shutting power to air conditioners, escalators and lifts, as well as closing toilets and reducing food options available at canteens and pantries.

All schools will simulate food, water or electricity disruptions on Feb 15 or Feb 16.

From 8.30pm to 9.30pm on Feb 15, there will be a simulated blackout around the Padang and Esplanade, with the external facade lights of 20 prominent buildings to be switched off.

Singapore marks Total Defence Day on Feb 15 every year. It is the date Singapore fell to the Japanese in 1942.

Exercise SG Ready is the centrepiece of this year's commemoration events. 

It imagines a civil emergency scenario arising from widespread cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns and drone attacks from an anonymous actor, said the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) on Monday (Jan 22).

The ministry added: "The aim of the exercise is to get individuals, communities and businesses thinking about the question, 'Are you ready for disruptions?'"

Buildings participating in the simulated blackout on Feb 15. (Image: MINDEF)

On Feb 23, open houses of civil defence shelters will be held at Dakota, Potong Pasir and Tan Kah Kee MRT stations to show how stations can be converted into public shelters during emergencies.

On Feb 26 and Feb 27, the National Environment Agency will also take the opportunity to simulate the closure of 21 markets and hawker centres due to food supply disruption. This will take place during the already scheduled quarterly market and hawker centre cleaning.

Members of the public can find out the locations of participating facilities and dates of simulated disruptions by visiting the SGReadyGoWhere website and keying in their postal code.

Brigadier-General Kelvin Fan said the exercise was a response to public feedback indicating that most people recognise the importance of Total Defence but do not know how to contribute.

"The idea behind this is to come up with something experiential, something action-based, to activate thinking and to inspire action," said the deputy secretary for policy at MINDEF and chairman of the executive committee for Total Defence 40.

BG Fan added that developments around the world "should tell us that we must be prepared because crisis can come in many forms".

Selected participating organisations will receive ready-to-eat meals developed by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and SATS, as well as water bags provided by PUB during the exercise.

The ready-to-eat meals have a long shelf life and can be stored at room temperature. They were designed to incorporate local produce like spinach, mushrooms and barramundi, and cover the main nutrient groups of carbohydrates, protein and fibre.

The meals are also intended to encourage flexibility in food choices, such as using frozen chicken and not only chilled meat, said SFA.

A ready-to-eat meal of baked fish and rice developed by the Singapore Food Agency and SATS. (Photo: CNA/Davina Tham)

Businesses and organisations can also review contingency plans with a Total Defence Table-Top Exercise package developed by Nexus, while the Cyber Security Agency will launch playbooks to help organisations deal with phishing threats.

Drawing attention to how a crisis would impact more vulnerable populations in Singapore, the Community Chest will run a donation and volunteering campaign for members of the public to support fellow citizens.

This article was originally published on Channel News Asia. Its inclusion on this website is solely for education purposes.