MS Features: The Community First Responder who is also helping socially isolated seniors
Most people freeze when they see someone collapse or badly injured.
But for 54-year-old Martin Wong, the sound of an emergency alert from his myResponder app is enough to send his adrenaline surging.
Whether it is in the wee hours of the night or during rush hour traffic, he drops whatever he is doing and runs towards danger.
Source: Martin Wong on Facebook
Over the past 16 years, Martin has attended close to 50 emergencies, from fainting cases, senior falls, fractures, road traffic incidents, to other public medical or safety situations.
He told MS News that some of the cases go way back to his Community Emergency and Engagement Committees days, even before he became a first responder in 2013.
For him, the motivation has never been about being a hero. “It’s because every casualty out there has got a family waiting for them,” he said.
His first cardiac arrest case
Martin still vividly remembers his very first cardiac arrest case via the myResponder app in 2022.
Responding to an alert near his home in Toa Payoh, he arrived before the paramedics and found himself alone with a man whose heart had stopped beating.
“It was my first time looking at someone who was unresponsive and not breathing,” he recalled.
Source: SCDF for illustration purposes only
Performing CPR on a real person proved far more physically and mentally demanding than practising on a training mannequin.
“Hearing or feeling a cracking sensation during chest compressions can be unsettling, especially for those performing CPR for the first time,” he explained.
First responder commits to consistent training
Exhausted after several minutes of chest compressions, Martin handed over to the paramedics after they arrived.
That experience, however, changed his perspective forever.
Watching the victim’s family standing around, unsure of what to do, made him realise just how critical the first few minutes before paramedics arrive can be.
“If I didn’t turn up, the person is either going to die or suffer severe brain damage,” he said.
From that day on, he committed himself to continual training, eventually earning multiple first aid and CPR certifications.
Racing against time to save strangers
One of Martin’s most recent memorable cases happened on the Toa Payoh North Flyover on 6 April.
That fateful day, a car had crossed into the opposite lane, causing a head-on collision involving four casualties.
Martin, who was with his wife, happened to be driving up the flyover when it happened.
Source: Martin Wong on Facebook
Without hesitation, he and his wife took the first aid kit from their car and began treating the four casualties.
As he was doing so, another crisis was unfolding. Traffic had completely jammed up both directions, leaving little room for ambulances to get through.
Without being told, Martin began directing traffic himself, coordinating traffic so emergency vehicles could access the scene.
Not every casualty survives
Martin explained that first responders, who are typically volunteers, rarely find out what happens after patients are sent to the hospital.
Sometimes, the only indication comes days later when they walk past a funeral wake in their neighbourhood.
Rather than dwell on the outcome, Martin reminds himself that he did everything possible during those precious minutes.
“I just tell myself I did my best,” he said with a smile.
Still, there are moments that remind him why he continues to be a first responder.
One such case involved a 27-year-old woman whose sister realised that she wasn’t breathing normally in the middle of the night.
Martin rushed over after receiving the alert at about 2.44am and performed CPR on the woman, resuscitating her on the spot.
The successful rescue later earned him a Community Lifesaver Award from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
“It made me very pleased,” he said simply.
Supporting isolated seniors
Martin’s commitment to serving the community extends beyond emergency rescues.
About five years ago, he became a director at Xin Yuan Community Care, a self-funded charity supporting socially isolated seniors in Toa Payoh.
In his role, Martin is helping to lead the organisation through a leadership transition.
Today, the centre offers weekday exercise sessions, recreational activities, communal meals and groceries, providing seniors with opportunities to stay active, build friendships and feel at home.
Martin shared that many of the seniors are not without families, but are still socially isolated because their children live overseas or have little time to visit.
“We want them to feel that this is their second home,” he said.
One of the elderly, Ngeow Siak Kim, 78, said: “I really enjoy coming here because there are so many seniors. We get to exercise, play mahjong and enjoy free meals.”
“Sometimes, we even go on outings and sing karaoke. I come here every day except on weekends, when it’s closed. We also celebrate birthdays here, and sometimes we play bingo,” she added.
For Martin, his work at Xin Yuan reflects the same belief that drives him to respond to emergency alerts at any hour: that small acts of care can make a lasting difference in people’s lives.
Biggest obstacle is fear
Besides responding to emergencies, Martin also volunteers as a first aid trainer, encouraging more Singaporeans to learn CPR.
The biggest obstacle, he believes, is fear. Many people worry about hurting casualties by pressing too hard during CPR.
In reality, Martin says broken ribs are far less important than saving a life.
“If you successfully resuscitate the person, the ribs will recover,” he explained.
“But if nobody does anything, the family may lose a father, mother, or a breadwinner forever.”
Source: Martin Wong on Facebook
He hopes more people will realise they don’t need to be healthcare professionals to make an impact.
Sometimes, simply stepping forward before the ambulance arrives can make a world of difference.
“If every one of us is willing to step out of our comfort zone and provide assistance to someone in distress,” he said. “Singapore would be a very nice community to live in.”
After nearly 50 rescues, Martin still keeps his phone switched on around the clock. Because somewhere nearby, another family could be desperately hoping that someone will answer the call.
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Featured image by MS News and adapted from Martin Wong on Facebook. Photography by Felicia Fun.
