SGSecure app put to use when Jurong West fire broke out
Residents seen at the scene of a wet market in Block 493 Jurong West Street 41 that was destroyed in a fire which started about 2.45am and put out by 4.15am on Oct 11, 2016. Photo: Koh Mui Fong/TODAY
After the Jurong West fire broke out yesterday morning, users of the newly launched SGSecure mobile application were notified of it.
The Home Affairs Ministry said that this was the first incident for which an alert was sent via the app to users in the vicinity of the fire.
Launched on Sept 24, in conjunction with the SGSecure national movement that is Singapore’s counter-terror strategy, the app serves as a public alert system, but is also a platform for the public to feed information to the authorities. For instance, during a terror attack or riot, app users will receive updates on developments, such as which roads to avoid, but they can also send photos and videos to the police, or call and text the police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) through the app. To date, there have been more than 24,000 downloads of the SGSecure app, the ministry said.
Separately, StarHub mobile-subscribers who were in the vicinity also received an SMS alert about yesterday’s fire. TODAY understands that this is part of a trial by the SCDF. TOH EE MING
