在地理上，新加坡位于环太平洋火山带边界之外，不容易受到造成大规模破坏的大多数自然灾害，如地震和火山爆发的影响。新加坡深居海峡包围，几乎不受典型气候和自然灾害的影响。
然而新加坡坐落的位置周边，是世界上最容易发生灾害的地区。柬埔寨、文莱、印度尼西亚和马来西亚都是这一地区灾害多发的国家。
新加坡周边邻国均极易受到海啸、地震、洪水、热带气旋、干旱、火山爆发和其他灾害的影响，预计气候变化的影响将改变气候变化的频率、严重程度，增加整个地区天气相关事件的不可预测性，增加了灾害的强度。气候变化的影响可能会影响全球稳定、健康、资源和基础设施。许多太平洋岛国在这个地区很容易受到灾害的影响，在发生灾害时，这些岛国几乎完全依赖外部援助。根据联合国减灾办公室的一份报告，亚洲和太平洋遭受自然灾害的风险最大。2015年，全球有9000多万人受到自然灾害的影响。亚洲是世界上最容易发生灾害的大陆，全世界报告的346次灾害中有152次发生在亚洲。在过去的几十年里，地震、海啸和台风是世界上最致命的自然灾害。例如，尼泊尔遭受了7级地震。这场地震夺走了8000多人的生命，并在廓尔喀及其周边地区造成了广泛的破坏。中国台湾省也发生地震，造成百余人伤亡。
严峻现实促使新加坡明确自身定位，建设自身能力，迅速有效地应对国际危机。新加坡相信应为重大灾害做好准备，并制定了国家备灾计划，以确保将任何灾害对社区、环境、基础设施造成的破坏降至最低。政府欢迎促进应急准备并使之制度化的所有努力，同时针对一系列可能发生的灾害制定和实施应急计划，由各应急机构密切配合实施。新加坡通过与邻国分享经验和救援资源，在人道主义和救灾方面发挥了国际作用。林业发展局力求为印度尼西亚等东南亚主要市场提供解决方案，并引进加强泰国、菲律宾、马来西亚和新加坡消防安全的新技术。
Geographically, Singapore is located outside the boundary of the Pacific Rim volcanic belt and is not vulnerable to most natural disasters that cause large-scale damage, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Singapore is deeply surrounded by the Strait and is hardly affected by typical climate and natural disasters.
However, Singapore is located in the surrounding area, which is the most disaster prone area in the world. Cambodia, Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia are disaster prone countries in this region.
Singapore's neighboring countries are extremely vulnerable to tsunamis, earthquakes, floods, tropical cyclones, droughts, volcanic eruptions and other disasters. It is expected that the impact of climate change will change the frequency and severity of climate change, increase the unpredictability of weather related events in the whole region and increase the intensity of disasters. The impact of climate change may affect global stability, health, resources and infrastructure. Many Pacific island countries are vulnerable to disasters in this region, and they rely almost entirely on external assistance in the event of disasters. According to a report of the United Nations Office for disaster reduction, Asia and the Pacific are at the greatest risk of natural disasters. In 2015, more than 90 million people around the world were affected by natural disasters. Asia is the most disaster prone continent in the world. 152 of the 346 disasters reported in the world occurred in Asia. In the past decades, earthquakes, tsunamis and typhoons have been the deadliest natural disasters in the world. For example, Nepal suffered a magnitude 7 earthquake. The earthquake claimed more than 8000 lives and caused extensive damage in Gurkha and its surrounding areas. There were also earthquakes in Taiwan Province, China, which resulted in more than 100 casualties.
The grim reality has prompted Singapore to clarify its position, build its own capacity and respond quickly and effectively to the international crisis. Singapore believes in preparing for major disasters and has developed a national disaster preparedness plan to ensure that the damage caused by any disaster to communities, the environment and infrastructure is minimized. The government welcomes all efforts to promote and institutionalize emergency preparedness, while formulating and implementing emergency plans for a range of possible disasters, which are implemented in close cooperation with emergency agencies. Singapore has played an international role in humanitarian and disaster relief by sharing its experience and relief resources with neighbouring countries. FDA strives to provide solutions to major Southeast Asian markets such as Indonesia and introduce new technologies to enhance fire safety in Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore.
