From firefighting to formulating policies: How she unlocked diverse roles and responsibilities

As Senior Assistant Director of Plans and Policy in SCDF’s Human Resource Department, LTC Ang Hwee Ting designs new hiring schemes and deployment pathways, and explores strategic workforce plans to support the organisation’s growth. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA

The MHA Uniformed Scholarship opened doors beyond the frontline, giving her early exposure to leadership, policymaking and even ceremonial duties supporting the President at state visit engagements.

Dark smoke billowed into the sky as the fire spread across the industrial building. For Lieutenant-Colonel (LTC) Ang Hwee Ting, then Fire Station Commander of Jurong Island Fire Station, the stakes were unmistakably high.

Jurong Island – home to Singapore’s petrochemical and energy industries – is a protected zone critical to the nation’s water, energy and chemical supply chains, making its Fire Station one of the Singapore Civil Defence Force’s (SCDF) most critical postings.

That incident in 2018 tested everything she had learnt in training, from managing mixed teams of experienced officers and young national servicemen to making split-second decisions.

“It became clear very quickly that this was not a simple incident, so we had to be extremely cautious and act decisively,” says LTC Ang.

It was a defining moment and a poignant reminder of what serving in the SCDF means: staying calm amid uncertainty and displaying sound leadership when it matters most.

Collaboration is central to LTC Ang’s work, as she engages colleagues across the Force on workforce planning and policy initiatives. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA

Drawn to the frontlines

LTC Ang did not grow up dreaming of a uniformed career, but an event in her teens provided the spark for where she is now. When she was 17, a cooking fire broke out in a neighbour’s flat while the husband was asleep in the bedroom, unaware of what was happening.

She sprinted down to the carpark to collect the keys from the neighbour’s family member, who had called to say they were on their way, then rushed back upstairs to hand them to the firefighters so they could enter without delay.

“The adrenaline rush felt great but knowing that our actions can change someone’s life mattered even more,” she recalls. “That was when I knew SCDF would be my career.”

From the start, she did not want a conventional job, preferring a diversity of roles, challenges and the opportunity to make a difference. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Uniformed Scholarship offered all three.

In 2008, LTC Ang received the Local Merit Scholarship under the MHA Uniformed Scholarship (SCDF) to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences at the National University of Singapore.

Upon her graduation, she went through seven months of training at the Civil Defence Academy and became a Rota Commander at Tuas Fire Station, leading a team of about 25 firefighters responding to emergencies around the clock.

Within five years, she was appointed the Fire Station Commander of Jurong Island Fire Station, where she took charge of its operational readiness and oversaw 90 staff members.

In December 2020, LTC Ang took on a very different challenge as the Assistant Director at SCDF’s Risk Management and Audit Office. That was during the Covid-19 pandemic, when infections and quarantine measures strained manpower across organisations.

LTC Ang (second from right, standing) at an interdivision games event in 2018, during her tenure as Fire Station Commander at Jurong Island Fire Station. PHOTO: COURTESY OF LTC ANG

Appointed the Business Continuity Planning (BCP) Secretariat Lead for the SCDF, she tracked manpower gaps and absenteeism across the Force, translated national Covid-19 guidelines into day-to-day operating measures, and regularly updated contingency plans as risks and restrictions changed dynamically.

In 2021, she led a major review of SCDF’s Enterprise Risk Management framework and examined how risks – from manpower shortages to operational disruptions – were identified, assessed and reported across the Force.

It was a significant shift from commanding a fire station to shaping policies, frameworks and systems. “Understanding the risks our officers face on the ground helps me design better frameworks at the organisational level,” she says.

Today, as Senior Assistant Director of Plans and Policy in SCDF’s Human Resource Department, the 36-year-old reviews workforce policies to keep SCDF’s manpower structure agile. This includes designing new hiring schemes and deployment pathways, and exploring strategic workforce plans to support the organisation’s growth.

One of her key focus areas has been to expand SCDF’s pool of paramedics. Demand for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) rose sharply during the Covid-19 pandemic and continues to steadily grow with Singapore’s rapidly ageing population. This sustained demand has intensified manpower pressures on the EMS.

Shaping policy and people

LTC Ang’s contributions earned prestigious recognition in 2024 when she and her team received the Commendation Award from the Ministry of Home Affairs. The award recognises operational excellence, strong teamwork and exemplary alignment with the Home Team values of Honour and Unity.

Policy work, she observes, is seldom about grand reform, but steady, sustainable progress. “Even small changes can meaningfully shape how people experience their careers,” she says.

A moment of recognition in 2024 for LTC Ang (third from right) and her team, reflecting leadership, teamwork and service grounded in Home Team values. PHOTO: COURTESY OF LTC ANG

Beyond her primary appointment, LTC Ang also serves as an Honorary Aide-de-Camp (HADC) to the President of Singapore, a distinguished secondary role she has held since 2017. Chosen through a rigorous nomination process, the position places her at the heart of state-level functions and ceremonies at the Istana – a setting that demands precision, adaptability and diplomacy.

“An eye for detail, and the ability to think and act fast when things do not go according to plan – these are essential qualities of an HADC,” she says. “During an event, many issues may arise. You have to respond quickly so that everything runs smoothly.”

While her role as HADC sharpened her instinct for contingency planning, LTC Ang traces her ability to coordinate across complex systems to an earlier influence: being part of her secondary school’s Chinese orchestra co-curricular activity, where she learnt how different sections had to play in sync, each guided by the same score.

That experience of aligning individual parts towards a shared outcome now shapes how she works across SCDF departments, ensuring teams can respond swiftly and cohesively during emergencies. “That experience of working within a larger whole has been invaluable in my HR and strategic planning work,” she says.

Looking back, LTC Ang sees her scholarship not just as study support but as an accelerator in her career development. “It gave me exposure earlier, both in operational leadership and policy roles. You are challenged, but you are also supported,” she says.

“I have learnt that there isn’t just one way to succeed in this role. If you are willing to learn, adapt and step up when it matters, there are numerous opportunities in the SCDF to grow in ways you may not expect.”

Credit: Singapore Civil Defence Force