In a significant move for Singapore’s emergency medical services (EMS), the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) plans to begin hiring foreign paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) starting March 2025. This initiative comes as Singapore faces an increasing demand for EMS, primarily driven by an ageing population.
Growing Demand for Emergency Medical Services
According to SCDF, the number of emergency calls has surged dramatically over the past decade. In 2024 alone, SCDF responded to 245,279 EMS calls—equating to about 672 calls daily, demonstrating a 57% increase from 2014 figures. Almost half of these calls were from patients aged 65 and above, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced services.
- 245,279 emergency medical service calls in 2024.
- Approximately 50% of calls concerned patients aged 65+.
- SCDF aims to respond to 80% of calls within 11 minutes.
Addressing Workforce Shortages
In an announcement made by Minister of State for Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, SCDF intends to recruit primarily from Southeast Asian countries but may expand the search internationally depending on the need. This strategy aims to alleviate the current manpower shortages faced by SCDF in the roles of paramedics and EMTs.
“We will ensure that the foreign hires provide a level of service and professionalism that is in accordance with SCDF’s EMS protocols,” SCDF assured, noting that all foreign recruits will undergo rigorous training to meet their standards.
SCDF’s Continuous Efforts
Over recent years, SCDF has implemented multiple measures to cope with the growing demand. These include:
- Engaging private ambulance operators since 2009 to augment the EMS fleet.
- Introducing a tiered-response framework in 2017 to manage the severity of medical cases.
- Implementing a non-dispatch policy in 2023, only sending ambulances for confirmed emergencies.
With the hiring of foreigners and ongoing enhancements to the EMS, SCDF is determined to maintain high standards of emergency care in Singapore.