After successfully completing a pilot scheme with London Ambulance, Excelerate Technology
was awarded the contract to be the technology provider for the multi million pound
framework agreement for the National Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) initiative.
Through our commitment to develop innovative, resilient and reliable systems, enhancing
service delivery within the emergency services, it is our belief that the HART vehicles
are now the most comprehensively equipped vehicles in Europe.
“This new generation of HART vehicles will provide high levels of real-time information
to enable ambulance service personnel on the ground to make more effective decisions
and enhance patient care at major incidents.”
CBRN HART Co-ordinator, London Ambulance.
Excelerate’s mobile satellite technology enables a comprehensive suite of cutting
edge applications to be fully deployed within four minutes of arriving at serious
incidents such as CBRN and HAZMAT, as well as others requiring category ‘A’ response
regardless of location. Operational personnel have the ability to access and relay
critical video, voice and data in real-time.
Each command vehicle has been designed to provide the highest level of resilience
and future proofing. Using mobile satellite technology HART teams have the ability
to access broadband, enabling a wide range of data, voice and video applications
to be run quickly and securely. The satellite network is managed in real-time from
Excelerate’s Cardiff-based headquarters to ensure that sufficient bandwidth is available
to meet specific requirements at all times, with our 24 hour support. The vehicles
can be inter-connected using a fully meshed wireless network with rapidly deployable
self-powered mesh nodes using hot swappable batteries that give up to eight hours
of use.
“This new generation of MIRV’s will enable the emergency services to meet their
responsibilities under the Civil Contingencies Act, improve multi-agency co-operation
and enable incidents to be resolved more effectively.”
Richard McKeand, General Manager of the Civil Contingencies Unit at Great Western
Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Excelerate provided voice communications in two ways to each MIRV. Firstly, RapidNet
Private GSM is generated maintain mobile phone communications with field-based personnel
at all times without requiring service from the main network providers. Excelerate
provides full telecoms capabilities in situations where either none exist or are
unavailable and eliminate the reoccurrence of the communications problems experienced
during the 7/7 incident as highlighted in the London Assembly Committee’s report.
Also provided are VoIP handsets that function as fully featured extensions of any
NHS PBX, enabling seamless communications with HQ and other locations.
Each MIRV is equipped with dual function CCTV cameras giving normal and thermal
operation with full PTZ. Additional COFDM bodyworn cameras have also been developed
and supplied to be used by field personnel to transmit high quality images from
inside buildings, tunnels or other areas. Video images are recorded locally and
streamed via satellite to fully managed servers enabling images to be viewed from
any internet-enabled location around the world.
“The safety of personnel operating in all the emergency services is an issue of
paramount importance that is addressed by the NHS HART Framework Agreement. From
the outset I felt we should endeavour to provide the best available equipment, the
highest standards of training and the most robust protocols and procedures to support
crews on the ground. Excelerate has developed a unique, integrated package of best
breed technologies that will significantly improve the safety of people being asked
to risk lives in potentially dangerous environments.”
Russ Mansford, Strategic Ambulance Advisor to the Department of Health, Emergency
Preparedness Division.