Save-A-Life (SAL) Initiative

To enhance community first response to cardiac arrest cases in the residential heartlands, the SCDF, in collaboration with Ministry of Health (MOH), Singapore Heart Foundation and the People’s Association, introduced the Save-A-Life (SAL) Initiative in 2015.

The SAL Initiative entails three components namely the Hardware, Heartware and Software.

Cardiac Arrest Facts

·         Annually, more than 2,300 Singaporeans suffer from cardiac arrest, of which only 3% survive

·         Every second matters as chances of survival drops by 7% to 10% every minute

·         Bystander CPR is shown to double survival rates

Hardware

An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) will be installed gradually in phases at the lift lobby of every 2 HDB Blocks island-wide by 2019.

Heartware

With the installation of AEDs, we would like to encourage residents to be trained in CPR-AED skills so as to render immediate assistance to cardiac arrest victims prior to the arrival of SCDF.

If you are interested to learn life-saving skills (including CPR-AED), sign up for the 1-hour Dispatcher-Assisted first REsponder (DARE) Plus Programme at your nearest Community Centre once the AEDs are installed in your neighbourhood.

The DARE Plus Programme includes the following contents:

a.       DARE training (CPR-AED training focusing on chest compressions without mouth-to-mouth ventilations);

b.       Run, Hide and Tell;

c.       Improvised First Aid Skills (IFAS) on Press, Tie and Tell; and

d.       The Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep (P.A.S.S) method of operating a fire extinguisher.

If you are keen to pick up life-saving skills today, you may sign up for the Community Emergency Preparedness Programme (CEPP).

All these programmes are free of charge.

Software

The myResponder app was designed to notify the Community First Responders of any potential cardiac arrests within 400 metres. In addition, the myResponder mobile app is linked to the national AED registry and shows the locations of AEDs in public places. This enables the community to contribute to saving lives prior to the arrival of the SCDF emergency medical service.

The app also has a “Call 995” function for the user to dial 995 to send his current geolocation automatically to SCDF to help the SCDF dispatcher to pinpoint his exact location, providing faster and more accurate on-location aid. This feature is especially useful in parks and open areas with no prominent landmarks.