Hazardous Area Response Team

The Hazardous Area Response Team initiative seeks to provide medical care to patients in hazardous or 'Hot' environment. They utilise special vehicles and equipment.^[1] Hazardous Area Response Teams originated from a 2004 report on the feasibility of Paramedics working in the inner cordon or hot zone of major incidents. They are activated to various incidents, such as:

• Explosions
• Building Collapses
• Chemical Incidents

Divisions of HART

Theoretically all of the following divisions/capabilities of HART should exist.^[2] However most of these areas have not been fully developed yet, such as MIRG.

• IRU - Incident Response Unit
• CBRN - Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear
• USAR - Urban Search and Rescue
• MIRG - Marine Incident Response Group

Operational Areas

• Great Western Ambulance Service(Avon/Gloucestershire/Wiltshire)^[3]
• London^[4]
• South Central Ambulance Service^[5]
• West Midlands^[6]
• Yorkshire
• East of England Ambulance NHS Trust^[7]
• North West Ambulance NHS Trust^[8]
• North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust
• East Midlands Ambulance Service

References

1. ^ http://www.flickr.com/photos/30131135@N04/4158220703/
2. ^ http://www.ambulancehart.org.uk/about_hart/
3. ^ http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Bristol-home-major-incident-emergency-crew/article-1730584-detail/article.html
4. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6426697.stm
5. ^ http://www.southcentralambulance.nhs.uk/our-services/EmergencyPreparedness/hart.ashx
6. ^ http://www.ambulancehart.org.uk/editorial.asp?page_id=17&page=2&n_id=28
7. ^ http://www.eastamb.nhs.uk
8. ^ http://www.nwas.nhs.uk/internet/OurServices/HazardousAreaResponseTeamHART/tabid/317/Default.aspx

External links

• [1] - Ambulance HART