Trusting a leader's judgement.
I am thankful that we have been frequently tested with thrilling operations (quite a number of our rescue incidents have been covered by the news / social media hehee).
Alhamdulillah, I received my first Service Excellence Award in Bishan with the guys. Well deserved, lads. That August 2018 rescue was challenging. My takeaway - genuine hearts remain genuine during tough times.
Yesterday's substation fire was unique, but I knew what I was doing, Alhamdulillah. Turning out with all the traffic lights down. Blackness. Smoke logged. Could have possibly dropped half a floor down through a hole which I blindly walked past several times. Who would have pointed the Thermal Imager to the ground? Allah is Ever-Watchful. My guys trusted my decision going in with the electrical nozzle jet although it is filled with 22kV transformers. When we broke the door, the initial gush of smoke made 5 guys settling the hose feeding and 2nd jet outside choke (1 vomited). It wasn't the normal electrical smoke. I was in BA with the 1st crew. Checked that running lines were not live (lights were off on the back row switchboards). Checked that dry powder wouldn't work. Sprayed from a distance, kept ourselves dry. 30mins. 5 assessed by Ambulance. 1 conveyed :/ We knew that we did the right thing. We followed the right procedures. It became MHA incident level. Answered to Div Comdr for Comr's update for 2 hours in the office in wet clothes (freezing). More work to be done tomorrow.