New marine fire post in Punggol Northshore to improve emergency response times in East Johor Strait
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(From left) Assistant Commissioner Ryan Ong, commander of the SCDF's Marine Division; DPM Gan Kim Yong; SCDF Commissioner Eric Yap; and National Youth Council chief executive David Chua viewing a model of SCDF's new Punggol Marine Fire Post on Jan 16.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
- A new Punggol Marine Fire Post will be built by end-2027 to improve emergency response times in the East Johor Straits.
- Equipped with a rapid response fire vessel and other vehicles, the fire post aims to cover the East Johor Straits within 45 minutes.
- The facility integrates with local amenities and will have green features like solar panels and water-efficient systems.
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SINGAPORE - A new marine fire post will be built in Punggol to improve emergency response times in the East Johor Strait and the Punggol Northshore district.
Slated to be completed in end-2027, the Punggol Marine Fire Post will complement the existing Punggol Fire Station and Loyang Marine Fire Post.
A fire post is a smaller, strategically located outpost with fewer resources that is designed to provide quicker initial coverage and support during an emergency.
It will be equipped with a Rapid Response Fire Vessel, which is built to respond to maritime emergencies including fires and rescue operations.
The vessel can also assist with other maritime operations if needed.
The fire post will allow the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to respond to emergencies throughout the strait within 45 minutes. Previously, only certain parts of that area could be covered within this timeframe.
The strait includes offshore islands such as Pulau Ubin, Pulau Tekong and Seletar Island. There are also more than 30 fish farms in the area, with more expected in 2026
In the past two years, there have been two reported fires at fish farms. In January 2024, 13 people were evacuated
On Sept 23, 2025, a fire broke out at a storage shed at a fish farm
To respond to land emergencies, the new fire post will have a Light Fire Attack Vehicle
With this, Northshore residents can expect a 30 per cent reduction in emergency response times, from 11 minutes to eight minutes.
(From left) National Youth Council chief executive David Chua; SCDF Commissioner Eric Yap; DPM Gan Kim Yong; and Assistant Commissioner Ryan Ong, commander of the SCDF’s Marine Division, at the ground-breaking ceremony on Jan 16.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Deputy Prime Minister and Punggol GRC MP Gan Kim Yong, who attended the ground-breaking ceremony on Jan 16 as the guest of honour, noted how Punggol has developed over the years.
He said: “With the nearby Punggol Northshore and Punggol Digital District, more people live, work and play along our beautiful waterfront. And, off the Punggol coastline, we are seeing more vessels and sea-based industries like fish farms using the waterways.
“The new fire post will help the Singapore Civil Defence Force be more effective in saving lives and property when emergencies arise.”
Besides functioning as an emergency response facility, the fire post will be integrated with the North Eastern Riverine Loop and Punggol Park Connector, which connects Punggol Waterway, Coney Island and Sengkang Riverside Park.
The facility will have solar photovoltaic panels to reduce energy consumption, and water-efficient fittings and systems to minimise water usage.
It will have a jetty, which will be co-developed by the SCDF, Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) and the National Youth Council.
Assistant Commissioner Ryan Ong, commander of the SCDF’s Marine Division, said this was done so that the facilities, as well as the land and sea space, could be optimally utilised.
The jetty will be used by the Rapid Response Fire Vessel, while OBS will use the jetty for its vessels, which transport passengers and cargo to its Pulau Ubin campuses.
Said AC Ong: “The fire post has also been carefully designed to integrate with the Punggol Northshore environment to enhance the experience of residents who use the park connectors and green corridors for their lifestyle needs.”
