Together with the United States (US) Embassy in Singapore and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), HTX co-hosted a three-day Sub-Regional CBRN Response and Assistance Workshop in Singapore from 21 to 23 January 2025 which aimed to improve readiness for CBRN emergencies and explore potential collaborations.
The event, which brought together 45 security, law enforcement, disaster management, public health and foreign affairs experts from Australia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, the US and Vietnam, explored mechanisms for regional collaboration and facilitated the exchange of ideas and best practices in CBRN disaster response.
During the workshop period, guests got to tour the Home Team’s emergency preparedness facilities, including HTX’s CBRNE Specialised Lab – which focuses on biological and radiation-nuclear materials at the Immigrations and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) Pasir Panjang Scanning Station – the Civil Defence Academy and the Home Team Tactical Training Centre.
Workshop participants excited to start their tour of HTX’s state-of-the-art facilities. (Photo: HTX)
International experts tour HTX’s Scientific Demonstration Suite (SDS), which showcases chemical, biological warfare agents and explosive weapons, while guided by Kemberly Kay, a CBRNE scientist from HTX. (Photo: HTX)
Director of HTX’s CBRNE Centre of Expertise (CoE), May Ong, said that her team and members of the agency’s Partnerships division were “very happy to finally be able to showcase HTX’s capabilities, innovations and contributions to the Home Team.”
May added that she appreciated how proactive the guests were in sharing perspectives, experiences and challenges in public safety matters. This exchange of knowledge, she noted, will help all stakeholders address gaps in existing national emergency response capabilities and policies, and offer opportunities for enhanced regional cooperation and assistance.
Director of HTX’s CBRNE CoE, May Ong, introduces the CoE’s specialisations in her welcome speech. (Photo: HTX)
Charmaine Sim, a CBRNE scientist from HTX’s Specialised Lab, presents the current bio-surveillance tools used by the CBRNE CoE. (Photo: HTX)
Fadzilah Salim, Senior CBRNE Scientist, speaks to guests of the event in a lab. (Photo: HTX)
Cheung Ka Kei (seated), Lead CBRNE Engineer, Threat Scanning Technology & Analytics, and Dr. Goh Ho Wee (right), Deputy Director, Threat Scanning Technology & Analytics, explain their latest research in the use of cosmic x-ray technology in cargo scanning. (Photo: HTX)
Gina Leow, CBRNE Engineer, Threat Scanning Technology & Analytics, takes guests through a trial of the HTX Optical Character Recognition Mobile Application (HOMA), which aims to assist in decision-making for operations related to controlled and contraband substances. (Photo: HTX)
“It’s been fantastic seeing the innovation and cutting-edge technology that Singapore is using to assist first responders,” commented Craig Waters, Deputy Commissioner (Operations), Department of Fire and Emergency Services, Western Australia.
Michelle Anderson, Office of Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism, Foreign Consequence Management Program, U.S. Department of State, echoed this, saying: “HTX’s presentations were very informative. It’s impressive how many of the agency’s capabilities and innovations support first responders in emergencies.”
U.S. guest Michelle Anderson experiencing the olfaction of chemical warfare agents at the scent station at SDS. (Photo: HTX)
Guests watch a presentation at an assessment centre where radiation sensor trials are conducted. (Photo: HTX)
“Precious takeaways from the workshop include the network and connections built over the three days,” highlighted May. “We are proud to have facilitated that. Hopefully, these will continue to remain strong even after the participants have returned home.”
In her closing remarks, she also emphasised the importance of the region coming together to enhance cooperation, capability, preparedness and response against CBRNE threats.
US DHS Science and Technology Attaché John Han, who played a part in co-organising the workshop, was also impressed by the “fantastic partnership” between HTX’s CBRNE CoE and Partnerships teams.
“With limited resources, you have to find like-minded partners that are interested in the same things, where you can invest and leverage one another. Having a collaborative spirit is the hallmark of an effective partnership,” he said.
“HTX has really come a long way and is on a trajectory to do some really amazing things. This was on display throughout the workshop. I would like to congratulate the Chief Executive and everyone at HTX.”
