Sylvia Tan joined the Singapore Red Cross Community First Aid programme hoping to be better prepared when someone is in need. Years of volunteering later, the 24-year-old is receiving the Singapore Red Cross Commendation Award for her dedication, leadership and support for fellow volunteers.
Sylvia Tan’s reason for learning first aid was simple: she wanted to know what to do when someone was in medical distress.
Eventually, she found herself in exactly that situation.
In November 2023, she received an alert on the myResponder app that someone nearby had collapsed. Rushing down from her home, she found a familiar face — the newspaper seller in her neighbourhood lying on the ground.
CPR was already underway, but Sylvia could see that something was not quite right. An AED was nearby, still unopened too. So she stepped in, took over the CPR and guided others through the use of the AED until the paramedics arrived. The man survived and Sylvia still sees him around her neighborhood today.
It was a moment that stayed with her, and a reminder that learning first aid is not just acquiring a skill, but being willing to step forward when someone needs help.
“The pride of taking the initiative when someone is in need has really stuck with me and it motivates me to do more.”
Behind the Scenes
That willingness to step forward has followed Sylvia into her volunteering.
Since she started volunteering with the Community First Aid (CFA) team in 2023, she has taken on an increasingly active role in first aid coverage at events. In 2025, she became a Volunteer Leader, taking on greater responsibility for coordinating first aiders at events of all sizes.
Now, the role is less about performing first aid herself and more about making sure others are ready to do so. Much of the work happens before anyone arrives on site: planning, communicating event details, preparing slides and making sure volunteers have what they need.
Things do not always go according to plan either. When operational arrangements change, Sylvia works with event organisers to find a way forward, making sure her team is supported while still keeping the needs of the public in mind.
Then there is the human side of coordination.
Sylvia makes time to understand what drew her fellow volunteers to the cause in the first place, listening to what they hope to get out of volunteering and using their feedback to make the experience better. For her, supporting volunteers is also making sure they enjoy the journey.
“Volunteering is a lot more fun when you do and learn things with others. That sense of community is part of what makes the work worth returning to.”
For Sylvia, that sense of community is part of what keeps her coming back.
A Journey of Her Own
First aid has also changed the way Sylvia approaches unfamiliar situations.
“Rather than rushing to respond, first aid has taught me to approach any situation with curiosity — to gather enough information before making a decision.”
It is a mindset that has stayed with her, whether she is responding to an emergency on the ground or supporting volunteers behind the scenes. Not every situation has a straightforward answer, but taking the time to understand what is happening can make all the difference.
And perhaps that is what Sylvia has come to appreciate most about volunteering: it has challenged her to look beyond the way she used to think.
“Volunteering, I realise, is not just about how much you contribute to the community. By contributing, I gain experiences that challenge my older ways of thinking, and as a result, I have seen positive changes in myself along the way.”
Receiving the Singapore Red Cross Commendation Award is a moment of recognition for Sylvia, but she sees it as part of a much longer journey — one shaped by the people she has met, the experiences that have challenged her, and the lessons she continues to carry with her.
“This award symbolises personal growth for me, and I’m grateful to my fellow volunteers who have shared this journey with me and helped me grow along the way.”
For Sylvia, learning first aid was about being ready to help. Along the way, she found that helping others feel prepared to step up can be just as meaningful too.
