If someone collapses at work or school in Punggol, check it is safe, then call 995 straight away, give your exact location and stay on the line. If the person does not respond and is not breathing normally, start CPR and send someone for the nearest AED. The 995 call-taker will guide you.
Nobody expects to be the first person beside a colleague or student on the floor. You do not need to be an expert; you need to call, push and fetch.
This page is part of eduKate Punggol’s When You Need Help in Punggol, our practical guides for life’s occasions, big and small. It covers what to do when someone collapses, how to spot a heart attack, stroke or seizure, what schools and employers must have in place, and where to learn CPR.
Quick answer
- Call 995 and tell them exactly where you are. Stay on the phone with SCDF.
- No response and not breathing normally: start CPR and get an AED. The National Heart Centre says survival falls by 7–10% for every minute without CPR or an AED.
- Stroke signs (F.A.S.T.): face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty. Time to call 995.
- Seizure: protect the person, turn them on their side, time it, and put nothing in their mouth. Call 995 if it lasts more than 3 to 5 minutes.
- Find an AED: use the myResponder app. Our Punggol AED guide explains how.
- At school: staff give first aid and call the SCDF ambulance for serious signs, then inform parents.
What to Do First When Someone Collapses
These are the Ministry of Manpower’s SGSecure steps for responding to a casualty, updated 1 July 2026.
- Check surroundings for any danger. Make sure it is safe for you to go closer.
- Approach the casualty. Check whether they respond to you.
- Call 995 and let them know your location. Give the building, floor and room, or the block and nearest landmark.
- Stay on the phone with SCDF. The call-taker can guide you through what to do next.
- Observe the casualty. Are they breathing normally?
- Start CPR if they are not. MOM’s rule of thumb is to compress one-third of the body depth.
- Use the AED. Send someone to fetch it while you start CPR. The pads must go on a bare chest.
MOM sums up the primary survey as DRSABC: Danger, Response, Shout for help, AED, Breathing, Chest compressions. If a rib cracks during CPR, MOM says to reposition your palms to the centre of the chest and carry on, then tell the paramedics.
Where to Get Help
| Who | Where and contact | Hours | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| SCDF ambulance | 995 | 24 hours | Any collapse, cardiac arrest, stroke signs, a long seizure, serious injury. Stay on the line. |
| Nearest AED and myResponder | See our AED locations guide and park walk emergency plan | — | Finding an AED and alerting trained responders nearby. |
| Workplace first-aider and first-aid box | At your workplace. First-aiders’ names must be on a displayed notice. | On site | First aid while the ambulance is on its way. |
| Sengkang General Hospital Emergency Department | 110 Sengkang East Way, Singapore 544886. Tel 6930 5000 (24-hour general line). | 24 hours | The nearest A&E. Ambulance crews decide where to take the patient. |
| NurseFirst | 6262 6262 | 24 hours daily | Advice after a minor episode, if the person has recovered fully and you are unsure what to do next. |
| First aid, CPR and AED courses | See our courses guide | — | Learning CPR and AED use properly. |
Checked October 2026 — confirm on the official page before you go: MOM SGSecure first aid and SKH Emergency Medicine.
Which Situation Fits You
They are not responding and not breathing normally
This may be sudden cardiac arrest, which the National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS) says often comes without warning. Call 995 immediately, start hands-only CPR, and use an AED if one is available. Every minute counts.
They have chest pain
NHCS lists these heart attack warning signs: chest pain or discomfort lasting longer than 15 minutes, especially at rest; shortness of breath with cold sweat, nausea or light-headedness; pain spreading to the arms, jaw, neck, shoulders or upper back; a fast or irregular heartbeat; and unexplained tiredness or weakness. NHCS says do not “wait and see”, and do not let them drive themselves: call emergency services.
Their face droops or their speech is slurred
HealthHub’s stroke guide says “Think F.A.S.T.”: Face drooping on one side; Arm weakness, so they cannot lift both arms; Speech that is slurred or difficult; and Time to call 995 for an ambulance immediately.
They are having a seizure
HealthHub’s advice, from the National Neuroscience Institute, is to remain calm, protect the person from harm, turn them to the side, and observe the type and length of the seizure. Do not restrain them unless there is danger, do not put anything in their mouth, and do not crowd around. Call 995 if a seizure lasts more than 3 to 5 minutes, or if seizures come on and off without the person waking in between. For a child, HealthHub says call 995 for a seizure lasting more than five minutes, and see a doctor even after a shorter one.
They collapsed in the heat
During outdoor work or PE, MOM says to call 995 for anyone drowsy or unconscious from the heat, and to cool them actively while you wait. Our heatstroke guide has the full steps.
They fainted and seem to have recovered
This guide does not cover fainting on its own, so treat any collapse seriously. If you are in any doubt, call 995 and describe exactly what happened, or see a doctor. If they are fully recovered and well, NurseFirst (6262 6262) can advise on next steps.
It happened to your child at school
In a reply to Parliament on 6 May 2026, MOE said school staff give first aid and promptly contact parents when a student is injured. With visible signs of serious injury, such as breathlessness, heavy bleeding or a head injury, staff call the SCDF emergency ambulance immediately and notify parents promptly. Otherwise the school may take the student to a nearby clinic or hospital, deciding with the parents. Our guide to when the school calls you at work covers what to do next.
First Aid Rules at Work and School
- First-aid boxes: under the Workplace Safety and Health (First-Aid) Regulations, every workplace must have enough first-aid boxes, clearly marked, well-lit and accessible, on each floor of a building, each in the charge of an appointed person.
- First-aiders: where more than 25 people are employed, there must be one trained first-aider for every 100 people or part of that, per shift for shift work. A notice listing their names must be displayed. The rules do not apply to hospitals or medical clinics.
- Training: the Occupational First Aid Course is mandatory for occupational first-aiders. The WSH Council says CPR+AED and occupational first aid certificates are valid for 2 years.
- In schools: since late 2017, all Secondary 1 students learn CPR and AED use in PE, and Primary 5 and 6 pupils learn first aid for minor cuts, burns, nosebleeds and sports injuries. CPR training is compulsory for Red Cross Youth, St John Brigade and NCDCC members.
- Afterwards: if the collapse was linked to work, see our guide to workplace injury and WICA.
Neighbour’s Tips
- Know your address at work. The 995 call-taker needs your exact location, so learn your office’s building name, floor and postal code.
- Know your first-aiders. Find the notice with their names today, and where the first-aid box is kept.
- Send, do not search. Ask one person to call 995 and another to fetch the AED, so CPR can start straight away.
- Bare chest for the pads. MOM says AED pads must go on a bare chest. Move clothing out of the way quickly.
- Time any seizure. Check your watch when it starts; the 3 to 5 minute mark matters.
- Install myResponder. Our AED guide explains how it finds AEDs near you.
- Look after yourself afterwards. Seeing someone collapse is upsetting. SOS (1767) and mindline (1771) are there if it stays with you.
If It’s Urgent or Gets Worse
Call 995 immediately for anyone who is not responding or not breathing normally, shows stroke signs, has chest pain for more than 15 minutes or with breathlessness or cold sweat, has a seizure lasting more than 3 to 5 minutes, or has a serious injury with breathlessness, heavy bleeding or a head injury. MOH’s own list of 995 emergencies includes cardiac arrest, seizures, breathlessness, loss of consciousness, excessive bleeding, major trauma and stroke.
Since 1 June 2025, MOH has been transferring 995 calls that are not life-threatening to NurseFirst between 8am and 11pm, so say clearly what you see. A collapse always goes to 995, never to the 1777 non-emergency line, which works only until 31 December 2026; MOH says it ceases from 1 January 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the 995 operator help me do CPR?
Yes. MOM’s steps are to stay on the phone with SCDF, and the call-taker can guide you through CPR until help arrives.
What if I crack a rib doing CPR?
MOM says to reposition your palms to the centre of the chest and continue, then tell the paramedics about a possible rib fracture.
How is a heart attack different from cardiac arrest?
NHCS says cardiac arrest often comes without warning and needs CPR and an AED at once. A heart attack has warning signs such as chest pain, breathlessness and cold sweat. Both need 995.
What does my child’s school do if my child collapses?
MOE says staff give first aid, call the SCDF ambulance immediately for serious signs, and notify parents promptly.
How many first-aiders must a workplace have?
Where more than 25 people are employed, one trained first-aider for every 100 employees or part of that, with their names on a displayed notice.
Should I put something in the mouth of someone having a seizure?
No. HealthHub says do not put anything in the mouth. Turn them to the side and protect them from harm.
More Help on eduKate Punggol
- When a child is sick on a school day
- Park walk emergency plan: myResponder, first aid and weather.
- When the school calls you at work
- Punggol AED locations and myResponder
- Household emergency readiness in Punggol
- Official: MOM SGSecure first aid · HealthHub: stroke F.A.S.T. · NHCS: cardiac emergencies
Be the One Who Acts
If it ever happens near you, remember three things: call 995, start CPR, fetch the AED. And if you have a spare weekend, a CPR and AED course will give you real confidence for the day it counts.
And if your family is also looking for calm, small-group English, Mathematics or Science, eduKate Punggol teaches classes of three in Punggol. Come find out more: Book a consultation · Chat on WhatsApp
eduKate Punggol
Small-group English, Mathematics and Science
Primary and Secondary
By appointment · +65 8823 1234
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Checked October 2026. Addresses, opening hours, fees and rules change, so please confirm with the official source before you go.
