From left: SGT3 Khairul Roshdie Bin Mohd Roslan, WO1 Md Na’im Zahari and LTA (NS) Ryan Wee Khai Boon embarked on a journey to explore Gen AI and its potential to enhance SCDF operations.
From learning the ropes to winning national competitions, three SCDF officers are leading the charge in using generative artificial intelligence to streamline processes and foster innovation.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionised industries worldwide, and within the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), its potential is beginning to unfold. By leveraging resources like GovTech’s Prompt Engineering Playbook, SCDF officers have ventured into the world of generative AI (Gen AI), reimagining workflows, solving real-world challenges and inspiring others to embrace innovation.
But what exactly is Gen AI, and how does it work? At its core, Gen AI is powered by large language models (LLMs) capable of generating human-like text — writing that mimics the way people naturally communicate — images and even audio. Its true power lies in prompt engineering, which is the process of crafting detailed instructions to guide the Gen AI in producing accurate and useful outcomes. A well-structured prompt, for example, could even help design a strategy for emergency response scenarios.
To foster interest and build expertise in this emerging field, SCDF has introduced initiatives like the Prompt-a-thon and GovTech’s Prompt Royale X. These competitions encourage participants to solve real-world problems using prompt engineering, while nurturing a culture of innovation within the force.
Among the SCDF officers exploring this technology are WO1 Md Na’im Zahari, SGT3 Khairul Roshdie Bin Mohd Roslan and LTA (NS) Ryan Wee Khai Boon. Their journey — from AI novices to enthusiastic learners experimenting with Gen AI — demonstrates how technology, when paired with curiosity and collaboration, can drive innovation.
SGT3 Khairul Roshdie Bin Mohd Roslan (left), a HazMat Specialist, and WO1 Md Na’im Zahari (right), a Fire and Rescue Specialist and Emergency Medical Technician from Tampines Fire Station, honed their prompt engineering skills and motivated each other through competitions.
For Khairul and Na’im, their first encounter with Gen AI came during GovTech’s Data Arcade Tournament (DAT) X ImpactiViz in 2023. The challenge required participants to analyse data on out-of-hospital cardiac arrests and propose strategies to improve survival rates by enhancing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) training for bystanders.
Despite having no prior experience in data analytics, the duo quickly adapted with the help of Gen AI. “We taught ourselves data visualisation, and used Gen AI to help simplify complex topics by breaking them down,” Khairul says. “The learning curve was not as steep as I expected — it was actually easier than I thought, thanks to Gen AI guiding us through the different tools.”
Na’im agrees, adding: “It’s like talking to a person. You can ask questions, and the AI will guide you step by step until you master the subject.” He also highlights how Gen AI has made learning more accessible. “You can use it to teach yourself in subjects that you might not be well-versed in. As such, solutions can come from the ground up, where SCDF officers work together across different units and brainstorm ideas.”
Their efforts paid off when they clinched second place out of 400 teams. The experience inspired them to deepen their knowledge of Gen AI. “After the competition, we got serious and enrolled in courses to learn prompt engineering properly,” Khairul shares with a laugh.
LTA (NS) Ryan Wee Khai Boon, a Staff Officer from SCDF’s Human Resource Department, began using prompt engineering to explore unfamiliar topics and later applied it to his work.
Meanwhile, Ryan began his Gen AI journey at an SCDF-organised workshop, where he learned how to craft structured prompts to generate text, images and audio. He cited frameworks like CO-STAR (Context, Objective, Style, Tone, Audience, Response) and GCSE (Goal, Context, Source, Expectations) as essential tools for success.
“I prefer the GCSE framework,” he explains. “It helps you clarify your goal, provide relevant context and specify how the output should look. It’s impressive how Gen AI delivers accurate results in minutes when given clear instructions.”
Eager to apply their newfound skills, the trio joined SCDF’s Prompt-a-thon, an initiative by SCDF’s Transformation and Future Technology Department (TFTD) aimed at upskilling SCDF officers in Gen AI. Their task: To use Gen AI to analyse SCDF’s response to medical emergencies. “In the simulated scenario, we saw how Gen AI could streamline workflows, potentially saving 3,000 man-hours per year,” Na’im explains. “This would allow us to focus on other operational duties.”
Building on their success in Prompt-a-thon, they set their sights on GovTech’s Prompt Royale X competition in November 2024. The national-level event featured a gamified format that challenged participants to innovate using prompt engineering. “It was exciting to know that the competition would take prompt engineering to the next level,” Khairul shares. “We were determined to participate and challenge ourselves.”
As part of the first round, SCDF held an internal selection to determine its top representative for the competition. Around 80 officers from various units took on a simulation challenge: To establish a new fire station using Gen AI. Among the participants was 19-year-old Ryan, the youngest competitor and the only full-time National Serviceman.
SCDF’s selection round tasked participants with writing proposals, analysing data to determine the best location for a new fire station and building chatbots.
Undeterred, Ryan embraced the challenge with confidence. “As long as you are willing to learn, you can achieve what you initially thought was impossible,” he says. His dedication earned him third place in the competition, with Khairul taking the second spot and Na’im clinching the top.
The camaraderie and collaborative spirit they displayed carried over to GovTech’s Prompt Royale X, where over 1,000 officers from 75 agencies participated. With Na’im advancing to the national finals held at Jewel, he represented SCDF against two other agencies in a series of increasingly difficult tasks.
In front of a live audience, the three finalists demonstrated their prompt engineering skills through tasks such as generating images, data analysis and designing webpages.
Recalling the challenges that he faced, Na’im says: “Some tasks were beyond my areas of expertise, so I had to constantly adapt my prompts to ensure concise and factual outputs.”
Khairul and Ryan were in the audience, cheering Na’im on as he competed. “I was on the edge of my seat the entire time,” Khairul recounts. “Na’im was trailing in the initial rounds, and I knew the tasks would become even more challenging.”
When Na’im emerged as the winner, it was a moment of triumph for the entire team. “We erupted with joy,” says Khairul with a smile. “We have watched as he first learnt Gen AI and developed his skills. Now that his efforts have truly paid off, we are incredibly proud of him.”
After five intense rounds, Na’im (fifth from left) emerged as the Prompt Royale X Champion.
Reflecting on their journey, the trio highlighted the vital role of collaboration and support within SCDF. “Our Commander at Tampines Fire Station, MAJ Goh Eng Khye, constantly encourages us to explore innovative solutions and keep learning,” Khairul shares.
Na’im echoes this sentiment, emphasising SCDF’s culture of teamwork. “Innovation here isn’t confined to one fire station. Officers from different units regularly come together to brainstorm and solve problems,” he explains.
Expanding on this spirit of collaboration, Ryan agreed, adding: “Recognising how technology can significantly improve our operational efficiency, we also shared more about Gen AI with various departments, highlighting how it can improve productivity and workflows.” For him, the experience was a meaningful conclusion to his National Service.
Looking ahead, Na’im, Khairul, and Ryan hope to continue integrating Gen AI into their work while inspiring colleagues to embrace collaboration and technology-driven innovation. Ryan also encourages his fellow National Servicemen to explore new skills during their service. “Try it, and you might love it,” he says.
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