Under Attack! SGSecure launches storybook to educate children on responding to emergencies
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Ack! Furtropolis Is Under Attack! tells the story of the protagonist, Hammie, a hamster who witnesses a bomb attack in his neighbourhood.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
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SINGAPORE – While watching the news with her three children, Madam Rasyidah Ramli often gets questions from them on how to respond during emergencies such as floods and fires.
The 43-year-old now has a tool to kick-start the conversation with her children, with the launch of a storybook, Ack! Furtropolis Is Under Attack!, by SGSecure, a community-based initiative to enhance Singapore’s resilience against terrorism.
The 37-page book tells the story of the protagonist, Hammie, a hamster who witnesses a bomb attack in his neighbourhood, and how the animal characters come together in the aftermath to support one another.
Boldly and colourfully illustrated, the book also contains guiding questions for teachers and parents.
It also has messages to remind children to alert an adult if they see something suspicious, and to call for help if their friends are injured.
The book was launched by Minister of State for Home Affairs and Social and Family Development Sun Xueling at My First Skool at Block 208B Punggol Place on April 11, with a reading session for 20 kindergarten children.
Madam Rasyidah, whose three children are enrolled in My First Skool, said: “The book is a good way for parents to start the conversation with their children about what to do during emergencies, because the characters are very relatable.”
She plans to read the book together with her children, and relate its lessons to current events.
Citing the recent River Valley shophouse fire that killed a 10-year-old girl,
To reinforce the concepts taught in the book, the children participated in an emergency evacuation drill involving a “suspicious person” who left a parcel outside their classroom.
Listening to their teachers’ instructions, they lined up and were evacuated to a multipurpose hall near their classroom.
Valuable addition to existing programmes
For centre principal Nur Hafidzah Hamzah, the storybook is a “valuable addition” to the school’s existing programmes teaching its pre-schoolers how to respond to potential threats.
Said the 39-year-old: “Our children’s safety and well-being is our utmost priority, especially when they are still developing the awareness and skills to recognise and respond to potential dangers.”
My First Skool works together with the Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force to conduct programmes that educate children on safety and security.
These include visits to police stations and fire stations, where the children are encouraged to ask police officers and firefighters questions about their work.
Minister of State for Home Affairs and Social and Family Development Sun Xueling (back row, centre) in a group photo taken during the book launch on April 11.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
The school also conducts regular fire drills for staff and the children to ensure they are prepared during an emergency.
The storybook will be distributed to all pre-schools licensed by the Early Childhood Development Agency and MOE kindergartens from April to June.
They will also be available in public libraries for borrowing from May.
Members of the public can download a soft copy of the book on the SGSecure website
Claudia Tan is a journalist at The Straits Times covering the crime and court beat.
