SINGAPORE — An outdoor Memorial Garden has been created to honour emergency responders who lost their lives in service to Singapore.

Its centrepiece, a black marble rectangular monument, was unveiled on Thursday by Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam in memory of firefighters Sergeant (1) Edward Go and Sergeant Shaik Amran Shaik Jamal, who died in the course of their duties.

The private unveiling was attended by the family members of Sgt (1) Go, 19, a full-time national serviceman (NSF) who died on Dec 8, 2022 after battling a blaze at a flat in Henderson Road.

Also attending the event were colleagues of Sgt Shaik, 24, who died in a traffic accident when the SCDF Light Fire Attack Vehicle, Red Rhino, was travelling towards Woodlands Square in January 2006.

The Straits Times reported then that he was the first firefighter to die since the formation of the Singapore Civil Defence Force in 1982.

Addressing the family members and colleagues of the firefighters, Mr Shanmugam acknowledged their immeasurable loss and said the monument was a gesture to honour their loved ones who had lost their lives serving the nation.

“We put our NSFs through the same training and assessments as regulars, and expect them to contribute in the same way. With our small population, manpower has been, and will continue to be, a challenge for Singapore. And our NSFs do their part to keep Singapore and Singaporeans safe,” said Mr Shanmugam.

The unveiling came in conjunction with International Firefighters’ Day, commemorated annually on May 4 to recognise the firefighters and emergency medical personnel around the world who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

All personnel attending the event wore a red and blue ribbon, symbolising fire and water respectively, on their lapels in solidarity.

The Memorial Garden is located at the Civil Defence Heritage Gallery at 62 Hill Street and is open to the public.