Woodlands station staff awarded for resuscitating commuter
When SMRT assistant station manager Abdul Hadi Ngadino was alerted in February by his colleague that a man in his 60s had collapsed at Woodlands station, he immediately rushed to the scene.
The man remained unconscious when Mr Hadi, 38, tapped and called out to him. Realising the man was turning pale, he started cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), concerned that the man could turn blue, which would mean that he was no longer breathing.
After five minutes, Mr Hadi managed to resuscitate him and help him regain consciousness before the paramedics arrived. He heard the man say a feeble “thank you” before he was taken away on a stretcher.
The Feb 24 incident was Mr Hadi’s first experience performing CPR. He joined SMRT in 2021 and has been based at Woodlands station since January.
Mr Hadi was among 37 Outstanding Award winners at the 25th edition of the Transport Gold Awards, which recognises transport service staff for their exemplary service.
When The Straits Times asked Mr Hadi about his experience in helping a person in distress, he said he did not think much about it. “I applied what I learnt in training to help the person, as it is our main priority to help others as front liners,” he added.
SMRT group chief executive Ngien Hoon Ping said the SMRT employees who clinched awards on Nov 27 displayed exceptional empathy, swift decision-making and an unwavering commitment to improving the commuting experience.
Mr Hadi said: “This is the first time in my life and my career that I won an award. This award has made me want to work harder and be a good role model to my colleagues.”
In a separate incident on April 12, as Mr Hadi was ending his shift at around 10pm, a man in his 40s walked towards the passenger service booth at Woodlands station and handed him a huge paper bag.
The man said he had found the paper bag at Sembawang station. Following protocol, Mr Hadi inspected the bag and saw a big portrait-sized 24K gold framed map of Myanmar inside.
Suspecting that the item must be valuable, Mr Hadi immediately checked the SMRT system. When he called Sembawang station, he found out that a man had made a report about a lost item that matched the framed map.
About 30 minutes later, the relieved owner arrived at Woodlands station to claim the map. The Myanmar national, who works in Singapore, said it was a gift he had received in Myanmar and brought to Singapore.
Mr Hadi told ST he asked the man how much the map had cost, but he did not want to disclose it.
“I could tell that it meant a lot to him,” he added.
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