'I'm always prepared': Hawkers join counterterrorism exercise in heartland food centre

SINGAPORE: You’re tucking into a plate of fresh chee cheong fun at a hawker centre when shouts and loud popping noises ring through the air.

Chaos ensues as masked men armed with guns invade what was a peaceful lunch spot just minutes ago.

Fleeing, you see a man slumped against a pillar, blood gushing from his arm. An older man crouches next to him, improvising a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.

You recognise the older man – he’s the uncle who made your chee cheong fun. When did he realise what was happening, and how does he know what to do?

Hawker Kevin Yong was one of more than 80 participants in Exercise Heartbeat held at Marsiling Mall Hawker Centre on Saturday (Feb 15).

For the first time, the Home Team’s counterterrorism and emergency preparedness drill simulated an attack at a hawker centre, perpetrated by self-radicalised individuals.

“I’m always prepared,” said Mr Yong, 62, who used to be a member of a community emergency response group.

Just two months ago, he helped a passer-by who fainted near the hawker centre, using a video call to let emergency responders see the situation in real time.

On Saturday, Mr Yong demonstrated the “press, tie, tell” advisory on improvised first aid after gunmen stormed the food centre.

He was joined by fellow hawker Chua Lay Sing, 61, who demonstrated “run, hide, tell” – moving to safety or out of sight, and informing the police.

As members of the association representing the hawker centre – Mr Chua is the chairman, while Mr Yong is its secretary – they felt they should take the lead in participating.

Anything could happen, said Mr Chua, and it was important to know how to respond in an emergency situation.

This is especially because the hawker centre does not have a security guard, said Mr Chua, who sells fried and steamed pastries.

He said he felt more prepared after the exercise, and happy that it went smoothly and that residents gave them their support.

Both hawkers are part of the Safety and Security Watch Group Scheme, in which business owners work with the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to secure their premises against security threats.

Their actions show how trained members of the community can save lives and minimise casualties in a crisis, SPF said in a media release.

Taking place on Total Defence Day, this year’s Exercise Heartbeat simulated terrorists exploiting a cyberattack on the national power grid.

A small splinter group of terrorists first set fire to a car near the hawker centre as a diversion.

The police arrived after being alerted to the attack by community members like Mr Chua.

A gunfight ensued, and officers from the Ground Response Force and Emergency Response Team neutralised the terrorists.