Puneet Varma (Editor)

Hazardous Area Response Team

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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. 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.

Contents

HART teams are made up of emergency medical personnel, such as paramedics who have undergone specialised training in the use of special procedures, skills and vehicles & equipment. Their specialised equipment includes personal protective equipment (such as breathing apparatus, "Hazmat suits", and climbing tethers for working at height), cutting equipment for extrication, and flotation devices and rafts for working on water.

Origins

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.

Capabilities of HART

All 16 HART teams within the ambulance services of England & Wales have the same capabilities.

  • 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.

  • London Ambulance Service
  • South Central Ambulance Service
  • West Midlands Ambulance Service
  • Yorkshire Ambulance Service
  • East of England Ambulance Service
  • North West Ambulance Service
  • 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.

    Former NHS ambulance services that had HART capability include

  • Great Western Ambulance Service(Avon/Gloucestershire/Wiltshire, now covered by South Western Ambulance Service)

    • References

    Hazardous Area Response Team Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA