Hazardous Area Response Team
The Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) is an NHS ambulance service initiative devoted to providing medical care to patients in the "hot zone" of hazardous environments.
HART teams are differentiated from normal ambulance crews by the use of special procedures, skills and vehicles & equipment.[1]
Hazardous Area Response Teams originated from a 2004 report on the feasibility of paramedics working in the hot zone or inner cordon of major incidents.[2]
These specially trained teams work side by side with police, firefighters and other agencies and are equipped with sophisticated technology such as personal protective equipment, voice activated systems, touch screen monitors, and special vehicles with computer screens inside and out.
HART provides paramedic response to complex incidents 24/7/365[3]
Teams are activated and sent to various incidents, such as CBRN & HazMat, collapsed buildings, patients at height or in confined space, water rescue and flooding, firearms incidents and explosions.
Capabilities of HART
All 16 HART teams within the ambulance services of England & Wales have the same capabilities.[4]
- IRU (Incident Response Unit) - CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) & HazMat response
- USAR - Urban Search and Rescue, including SWAH (safe work at height) and confined space operation
- IWO - Inland Water Operations, including water rescue, flood response and paramedic care to maritime incidents within 12 miles of the British coast
- TMO - Tactical Medical Operations, working alongside police and other agencies to provide paramedic care
Operational Areas
HART is operational in every NHS ambulance service in England and Wales.
- Great Western Ambulance Service(Avon/Gloucestershire/Wiltshire)[5]
- London Ambulance Service[6]
- South Central Ambulance Service[7]
- West Midlands Ambulance Service[8]
- Yorkshire Ambulance Service
- East of England Ambulance Service[9]
- North West Ambulance Service[10]
- North East Ambulance Service
- East Midlands Ambulance Service
- South East Coast Ambulance Service
- South Western Ambulance Service
- Welsh Ambulance Service
Similar capabilities exist within Scottish Ambulance Service, on the Isle of Man and in Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.[11]
References
- ↑ http://www.flickr.com/photos/30131135@N04/4158220703/
- ↑ Leivesley, Sally (Winter 2003/4). "BANK STATION CHEMICAL ATTACK SIMULATION EXERCISE". Alert: 4–6. Retrieved 1 December 2013. Check date values in:
|date=(help) - ↑ http://www.eastamb.nhs.uk/hazardous-area-response-team.htm
- ↑ http://www.ambulancehart.org.uk/about_hart/
- ↑ http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Bristol-home-major-incident-emergency-crew/article-1730584-detail/article.html
- ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6426697.stm
- ↑ http://www.southcentralambulance.nhs.uk/our-services/EmergencyPreparedness/hart.ashx
- ↑ http://www.ambulancehart.org.uk/editorial.asp?page_id=17&page=2&n_id=28
- ↑ http://www.eastamb.nhs.uk
- ↑ http://www.nwas.nhs.uk/internet/OurServices/HazardousAreaResponseTeamHART/tabid/317/Default.aspx
- ↑ http://www.demotix.com/news/898268/northern-ireland-ambulance-service-launch-hazardous-area-response-team#media-898229