SINGAPORE — The death of full-time National Serviceman Chia Wee Kiak yesterday, following an accident at OCBC Cycle Singapore 2014 on Sunday, has cast the spotlight on safety measures and emergency medical services employed by organisers of mass participation events here.
Despite the growing popularity of endurance events such as OCBC Cycle Singapore and Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore, and with some 36 running, cycling and triathlon events scheduled this year, local event organisers told TODAY there are currently no standard safety guidelines in place here.
Instead, organisers said the current practice is for them to come up with their own risk management and contingency plans for each event and submit them to Sport Singapore — formerly known as the Singapore Sports Council — to approve them.
Although the national sports associations and event organisers are given a guidebook on what to include in an emergency response plan — such as reporting procedures, setting up a control centre and an evacuation route map — some of them said Sport Singapore should set standard safety guidelines. Coming up with one, however, would be a challenge, they said.
Mr Chia, 24, was one of about 10,000 participants in the event. He fractured his skull and suffered serious head injuries after his bicycle reportedly flipped over near Benjamin Sheares Bridge around the junction of Ophir Road.
He underwent a 13-hour surgery to remove blood clots in his brain at the Singapore General Hospital on Sunday, but died yesterday.
In response to TODAY’s queries, Sport Singapore’s Chief of Strategic Development and Management Group Toh Boon Yi would only say it was premature to comment on the safety arrangements of the event as investigations are in progress.
While he said he did not know of any country that has standard safety guidelines, Mr Adrian Mok, Director of HiVelocity Events, which manages the Sundown Marathon, said: “(In terms of the medical component), maybe Sport Singapore could have some guidelines such as having a certain number of medical personnel within 5km of road. It is important because there are many events now being organised and there is always risk involved.
“Sometimes, people also think smaller events could have a small occurrence (of accidents) and they could under-provide (for sports safety).”
Other events such as the Tri-Factor Series — which features four legs of swimming, cycling, running and a triathlon — work with ambulance and medical partners to come up with a safety plan.
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