Exercise Heartbeat 2024 – Counter-Terrorism Exercise At Institute Of Technical Education College West

A counter-terrorism and emergency preparedness exercise codenamed "Exercise Heartbeat" was held at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College West on 18 November 2024. The exercise was organised by the Singapore Police Force (SPF), supported by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), in close collaboration with ITE College West and Public-Private Partnership Infrastructure Management (premise owner of ITE College West campus). Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of National Development, was the Guest-of-Honour at the event.

"Exercise Heartbeat" exemplifies collaboration between the Home Team and the community to enhance community preparedness in dealing with terror attacks under the SGSecure movement. This exercise is a timely reminder and opportunity for stakeholders and building owners to regularly review their security measures, validate their contingency protocols, and bolster their emergency preparedness against potential terror attacks.

Adopting an informative "show and tell" format, this exercise simulated a multi-faceted terror attack, comprising scenarios including a suicide bomber, hostile vehicle attack, armed terrorists, and a rescue operation involving the neutralisation of the armed assailants. The exercise demonstrated the coordinated capabilities between the SPF and our stakeholders in responding to a terror attack. In particular, our stakeholders showcased their application of the SGSecure key advisories "Run, Hide, Tell" and "Press, Tie, Tell" (or improvised first aid) prior to the arrival of SPF and SCDF. The Civil Defence Lionhearters, a group of student volunteers trained by the SCDF in emergency skills, also rendered immediate assistance for both on-campus and off-campus emergencies, helping to save lives and minimise property damage during the exercise.

Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of National Development said, "The Home Team regularly conducts simulated terror exercises with our community partners to enhance coordination between our Home Team first responders and stakeholders. This iteration of Exercise Heartbeat saw the Jurong Police Division working with ITE College West to conduct a simulated exercise within the school premises to ensure that our youths remain alert to terror threats and are aware of the roles they can play when such an incident happens. So earlier, we saw how our Civil Defence Lionhearters supported the Home Team in their incident response during the exercise. These student volunteers showed us how crucial it is to pick up skills like improvised first aid skills, so that we are able to help in a timely manner in the event of an attack or any emergency incident. Everyone plays an important role in the fight against terrorism - we must remain vigilant, acquire emergency preparedness skills, and build good relationships with one another, to strengthen our community's resilience."

Every member of our community plays a vital role in building our resilience against terror attacks, and maintaining vigilance at workplaces, neighbourhoods, and shared spaces where we live, work, and play. Acting quickly is crucial, as the impact of a terror attack extends beyond the immediate point of attack. These actions can save lives, prevent catastrophic outcomes, and help our nation recover quickly from a crisis. For more information, please visit the @SGSecureOfficial Instagram or SGSecure website (www.sgsecure.gov.sg).

[Photo of MOS Faishal observing "Exercise Heartbeat" with Assistant Commissioner of Police (AC) Jerald Tan, Commander, Jurong Police Division]▼



[Photo of simulated terror attack]▼



[Photo of community responders performing "Press, Tie, Tell" Improvised First Aid Skills]▼



[Photo of SPF Emergency Response Team officers neutralising the attack]▼