HART communications: current capability and future options

The Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) programme was rolled out across all NHS Ambulance Trusts in England between 2008 and 2012. The roll-out coincided with the ambulance service's change to a new way of communicating with crews and control rooms using Airwave. It also saw the widespread introduction of satellite communications by the emergency services. HART has been at the forefront of this digital revolution.

HART operates in four key areas: as an Incident Response Unit (IRU), Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), Inland Water Operations (IWO) and Tactical Medical Operations (TMO). The first, IRU, includes incidents involving Chemical, Biological, Radiological or Nuclear (CBRN) materials, and requires the team to wear a variety of respiratory personal protective equipment (PPE), including breathing apparatus and respirators. USAR involves incidents at height or within collapsed structures. IWO requires the team to operate in areas of flooding or to rescue patients in fast flowing water such as rivers. The final area is TMO, which involves providing medical support to police operations that may include firearms.