Ambulance Victoria teams up with Singapore Civil Defence Force

April 15, 2024 | in News

Ambulance Victoria (AV) has formalised a new partnership with another world-leading emergency services provider, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

A Singaporean delegation is visiting Victoria this week, with both services committing to work together to improve paramedic practice through the sharing of information, training and research opportunities.

SCDF Director of Emergency Medical Services Department Senior Assistant Commissioner Yong Meng Wah and Ambulance Victoria Chief Executive Jane Miller holding the Memorandum of Understanding document.

SCDF Director of Emergency Medical Services Department Senior Assistant Commissioner Yong Meng Wah (left) with AV Chief Executive Jane Miller following the MoU signing.

AV Medical Director Associate Professor David Anderson said it was the start of an exciting collaboration.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for AV to share our experience as a respected, world-class ambulance service with our friends and colleagues in Singapore,” he said.

“Equally, it’s a fantastic opportunity for us to learn from an innovative and technologically advanced ambulance service”.

“It’s exciting to be reaching out into Asia in a spirit of openness and collaboration.”

Assoc. Prof. Anderson said both ambulance services had strengths to share.

“The main benefit for AV will be learning about the advances SCDF has made in communication and coordination of ambulance resources, including the use of artificial intelligence and video calling,” he said.

“The benefits for SCDF will mainly focus on learning from our clinical care – paramedicine has been a profession in Australia for much longer than Singapore and they’re really looking forward to working with us.

“Eventually, we very much hope to be in a position to have regular exchanges of our staff.”

Delegations from both Ambulance Victoria and Singapore Civil Defence Force standing together for a group shot.

The AV and SCDF delegations in Melbourne.

Assoc. Prof. Anderson visited Singapore last year in the lead up to the development of the MoU.

“I spent time with the leadership and frontline staff, including time on an ambulance and in the communications centre in Singapore and I was really impressed with the service,” he said.

“I’ve developed a friendship and great working relationship with their Medical Director, and I hope that this will be the first of many such arrangements for AV.”

Ambulance Victoria Medical Director Associate Professor David Anderson speaking to a number of Singapore Civil Defence Force personnel from inside an ambulance during his visit to Singapore in 2023.

AV Medical Director Associate Professor David Anderson (left) in Singapore in 2023.

SCDF Director of Emergency Medical Services Department Yong Meng Wah said the signing of the MoU marks a significant milestone for both organisations.

“This MoU represents an unwavering commitment to our mutual growth by elevating the quality and standards of emergency medical services,” Senior Assistant Commissioner Yong Meng Wah said.

“We hope that through this collaboration set out between the SCDF and AV, we can together drive innovation, foster knowledge exchange and leverage synergies to achieve best outcomes in our common mission of saving lives.”

Ambulance Victoria Medical Director Associate Professor David Anderson presenting the Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) book to SCDF Director of Emergency Medical Services Department Senior Assistant Commissioner Yong Meng Wah in Singapore in 2023. Both men were standing in front of an ambulance in an exhibition hall.

AV Medical Director Associate Professor David Anderson (left) with SCDF Director of Emergency Medical Services Department Senior Assistant Commissioner Yong Meng Wah, in Singapore in 2023.