I am a firefighter, and also a peppy cheerleader

Meet Captain Gwendelyn Ong, Punggol Fire Station's first female senior officer.

As a rota commander with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), Ong attends to emergency fire and rescue calls at work and also leads a team during 24-hour rotational shifts at the fire station.

But when she's not at work, Ong practices competitive cheerleading and is a member of an all-girls team. 

"I train twice a week with an independent team called 'Whales' when Covid-19 measures permit," she told AsiaOne.

A quick look through Whales' Instagram page would have you realise these cheerleaders are the real deal.

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Ong is not only the first female senior officer at the newly opened Punggol Fire Station, she is also the most senior.

"Nonetheless, our team consists of many other inspirational ladies such as our female paramedics who attend to emergency medical calls, including Covid-19 related cases in ambulances," the 25-year-old said.

This fire station was officially launched in Punggol on Feb 25. 

Ong was previously from an all-girls secondary school and mostly played on single-gender sports teams so transitioning to a male-dominated work environment was daunting at first.

Her reservation was soon allayed due to the presence of respectful male colleagues who treated her as their equals and other female leaders in the organisation. 

So why did Ong decide to become an SCDF officer?

She'd made the decision early in life. While many others her age were mulling over their preferred career path, Ong took up an SCDF scholarship after completing her GCE A Level.

Upon graduating from university, she officially joined the SCDF.  

"I feel that the mission of life-saving resonates well with my personal values. I am also proud that no matter what the emergency is, my team always stands prepared and ready to lend a helping hand," Ong said.

Ong joined Punggol Fire Station in early 2021 when it was still in the planning and construction phase. 

The fire station is Singapore's first 'smart' fire station and it is equipped with new digital interfaces and design features to enhance operational readiness.

This includes smart classrooms fitted with VR/XR training systems and a multi facade training tower.

If ever you're feeling like work-life balance is a struggle, keep in mind there's a firefighter officer in Punggol who also manages to find time to do competitive cheerleading.

ALSO READ: 'I felt I was melting': Experienced SCDF firefighter on 'very intense' heat in Telok Blangah Rise blaze

amierul@asiaone.com

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