The arrows of the Total Defence logo point in the same upward direction. This signifies concerted effort towards a common objective of safeguarding the progress and future of Singapore.
SOCIAL DEFENCE
“Living in harmony, looking out for one another”
It is critical to maintain racial & religious harmony to ensure peace & stability in a country.
To build a strong Social Defence, there must be racial & religious tolerance & respect, & equal opportunities for all regardless of race, language or religion. In Singapore, all races & religions live & work together in harmony. Social cohesion is strengthened when we understand & are sensitive to the cultures & traditions of one another & when strong bonds are built across different ethnic groups.
Social Defence also includes showing care & concern for the less fortunate & unprivileged, & active participation in volunteer work.
CIVIL DEFENCE
“Taking care of your family, friends & people around you in times of crisis”
Civil defence provides for the safety & basic needs of the population on the home- front, so that life may go on as normally as possible during emergencies. The SCDF provides the communtiy with programmes such as learning Civil Defence, and being a volunteer. They recruit & train volunteers in first aid, rescue & evacuation procedures, and shelter management. SCDF also aims to produce a civilian population familiar with procedures for survival & protection, & with arrangements for relief services & emergency supply of critical items like blood, water & food. To protect & defend ourselves from terrorism threats & attacks, we can help by looking out for one another, as security personnel cannot be everywhere.
MILITARY DEFENCE
“Singaporeans keeping Singapore secure”
Military defence is having an SAF able to deter aggression. In order to keep Singapore a safe country, SAF draws its strength from the support of every Singaporean - national servicemen, families, friends, colleagues and employers. National Servicemen takes training seriously, and keep the SAF strong & operationally ready. A first- class SAF is one that has the capability to act effectively & decisively should deterrence & diplomacy fail. They have also widened their capabilities to meet all kinds of challenges.
ECONOMIC DEFENCE
“Working & saving to achieve a better life for everyone”
Economic defence involves the economic sector sharing material & manpower resources to meet the needs of Civil & Military Defence. At the level of individual, economic defence requires the cultivation of a good working attitude & constant upgrading of one’s skills.
It aims to achieve better life for everyone through working & saving. Upgrading our skills helps us to stay relevant, employable, & is necessary to help Singapore stay ahead of the competition. A strong foundation also allows the economy to function well in times of crisis. Putting in place measures to keep businesses running and maintaining stockpiles of essential items also help to keep our economy going.
We should adopt environment- friendly practices to conserve energy & to protect our environment, for the future generation.
PSYCOLOGICAL DEFENCE
“Being a Singaporean & proud of it”
It refers to the individual citizen’s commitment to the nation & confidence in the future of our country. It is about having pride, passion & patriotism for our country. When Singaporeans are united in pride and passion for our country, we will stand up to defend what is ours and protect our independence as a nation. Whatever the crisis or challenge, our ability to overcome challenges depends on how mentally strong we are. It is this will and the commitment of our people that will decide how strong we are as a nation, & allows us to safeguard our independence & hence chart our own destiny.
Social, civil, military, economic & psycological defence are the 5 aspects that we can help in defending our nation. To sum it up, eveyone in the community has a part to play in contributing to the society. Even by playing a small role, you can make a great difference. Hence, we should do our best to protect our nation, as it benefits us too.
These initiatives are part of the overall Community Safety & Security Programme (CSSP). It was drawn up to devise & implement solutions to the safety and security concerns and problems identified by the community.
It allows residents to work hand-in-hand with the Home Team & grassroots leaders to promote the spirit of self-help & mutual support of the local community to meet the safety & security needs. It also serves to foster community cohesion & bonding among local grassroots leaders & residents, as they gather to tackle community issues & problems affecting the safety & security of the local neighborhood.
Volunteer Programmes:
There are activities orgarnised by various organizations for locals to participate in. Activities include the Neighborhood Watch Zone, learning civil defence through Emergency Preparedness, or even being a Prisons Volunteer. These activities are organized by the Singapore Police Force (SPF), Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), and Singapore Prison Service (Prisons) & Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE) respectively.
One always cares more about themselves. Being a volunteer does not only help others, by also benefits you. You can learn new things, make new friends, improve your social skills, and make a positive difference!
The theme for this year’s Total Defence is: self reflection forward into personal action with “I Will”. Singapore is our home & nation. We can do many things to protect our home & way of life, but it starts with 2 simple words: “I Will”. If everyone is willing to play a part in this community, many things can be done.