SINGAPORE: Ms Silvia Hajas was at East Coast Park taking photos with her daughter last Monday when she witnessed trouble out at sea and became a lifesaver.
The 47-year-old Australian housewife heard a cry for help and while she initially thought the four boys in the sea were joking around, she jumped in immediately after realising that they were in danger.
She managed to save three schoolboys from drowning. The fourth boy disappeared under the water and his body was found three hours later.
For her efforts, Ms Hajas was on Tuesday (May 16) recognised by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) which presented her with the Community Lifesavers Award.
Division Commander COL Alan Toh presenting the award to Ms Sylvia Hajas. (Photo: Natasha Razak)
Ms Hajas didn’t do it alone. She had help from Mr Tan Kian Choon, 53, who also received the award on Tuesday.
Ms Hajas described how she had been too tired to go back into the sea on her own after saving two boys, and approached Mr Tan’s wife for help. She couldn’t swim and urged her husband to step in.
“Initially I thought it was a false alarm when my wife alerted me of the incident,” said Mr Tan. “I saw Ms Sylvia being very busy and there were a few worried-looking boys and that was when I realised it was something serious. I saw a lifebuoy that was 10m behind me and went to take it.”
“We didn’t talk. It all happened very naturally. It just worked,” recalled Ms Hajas. “We both knew what was happening, we had the buoy, we had something that could help us. The fourth boy submerged before we even got into the water to save the third boy. No ability for us to even do anything to save the fourth boy.”
Her advice to the boys she saved: “Don’t go into treacherous waters. I hope that they will do something amazing with their lives. I don’t want them to be scarred by this experience … that they remember their friend and move on with their lives.”
On receiving the award, Ms Hajas described it as “a real honour,” adding that she’s been touched by the compassion and support she received from strangers after news of what she’d done emerged.
“I often hear that Singaporeans lack civic-mindedness but I don’t think so. I think there’s a hero in all of us,” she said.
Ms Hajas and Mr Tan with their family members. (Photo: Natasha Razak)
BE AWARE OF WHERE LIFEBUOYS ARE
The incident off East Coast Park showed that lifebuoys can make the difference in saving lives.
It was Mr Tan who found a lifebuoy to help save the third boy and the SCDF said the decision was a good one. “It’s good to be aware of the locations of the lifebuoys,” said Division Commander COL Alan Toh.
Ms Hajas said since the incident, she’s been more aware of where the lifebuoys are.
“In good conscience, I couldn’t have just stood on the sidelines. I dread to think that if nobody was there, the three boys that got out would have tried to save their friends and that could have led to an even bigger tragedy,” she added.
As for Mr Tan, he said after receiving the award: “I feel very overwhelmed. To me, it’s not so big of a deal.”
The SCDF’s Community Lifesaver Award is presented to members of the public whose actions involved an element of self-risk and contributed to saving lives.
“We need more of Ms Silvia and Mr Tan. In life (and death) situations like that, we need more community first responders,” said COL Abdul Razak, SCDF’s Director of Public Affairs. “As a community first responder, your own safety is equally important. Having said that, where you can help, do help as much as you could before SCDF arrives.”
He added that lending a helping hand may not always come in the form of a heroic rescue. “(It) could be as easy as calling the SCDF … There are cases where we guide people over the phone and they end up being able to save the person’s life,” said COL Razak.
“Collectively, we can make a difference.”
