HART teams provide paramedic care to patients within a hazardous environment that would otherwise be beyond the reach of NHS care. This includes working within the inner cordon or hotzone of incidents. The types of incidents they could be called upon to work in include:
Safe working at height using ropes
Within confined spaces such as collapsed buildings
CBRN-E (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives) incidents
Wide area flooding
Within the warm zone of firearms incidents
Infectious diseases
The staff who are trying to get selected had to go through a number of tests at Himley Hall in Dudley. These included a 2 mile run, swimming 20m in a dry suit, helmet gloves and with a floatation device, a detailed clinical assessment and an exercise that involved working as a team.
HART Manager, James Price said:
“The staff that put themselves forward were first and foremost, excellent paramedics. However, to get through this initial round of selection they also needed to be fit, determined, up for working in a team, supportive and not afraid to show leadership when required.
We were very pleased with just how well prepared the candidates were – it was a very positive day. Thank you to Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council for allowing us to use the facilities at Himley Hall.
We will be whittling the numbers down with a view to interviewing the successful candidates later this week. If they get through that then they can begin a three month intensive training package before they can really start to learn as part of the active HART teams.
Overall, we were delighted by the quality of staff and it will not be easy to pick the successful candidates Whilst we will be picking only a few to go forward, everyone who took part should be proud of their efforts; they are a credit to the paramedic profession.”
Safe working at height using ropes