The UK Ambulance Service’s national HART (Hazardous Area Response Team) programme provides one of the best demonstrations of the way in which Excelerate’s integrated solutions approach to advanced command communications is radically changing the way emergencies will be managed in the future. To improve the way it can respond to major emergencies, such as CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) attacks and USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) incidents, the UK Department of Health and the Ambulance Service developed the national HART programme. The programme has been designed to support paramedics operating inside the ‘Hot Zone’, the inner cordon of major incidents (something the ambulance service was not previously equipped to do).

Forward Command Vehicles 

To support the programme the HART project has developed a number of specialist MIRVs (Mobile Incident Response Vehicles) which operate in sets of three (the Forward Command Unit, reconnaissance unit and equipment carrier). In total there will be fi fteen teams deployed within England and two within Scotland. The Command Units feature Excelerate’s advanced command, communications, data, video and coordination technologies for supporting paramedics in high-risk, high-pressure situations, such as CBRN attacks and rescuing casualties alongside fi re and rescue and police service personnel in collapsed buildings and tunnels. The vehicles’ integrated communications, data, voice and video technologies were specifi cally prototyped, developed and tested for over a year by Excelerate in collaboration with the Department of Health and the Ambulance Service, to ensure the technologies used matched their exact requirements. Internal vehicle layout and positioning of screens, communications systems and computers were all trialled to achieve the best possible use of space for command vehicle crews and commanders. Where required, technology was specifi cally developed and integrated for operational requirements, such as the PBX intercom solution and the digital dashboard for simple yet effective communications and monitoring of on-board systems.

Resilient Communications 

Satellite broadband is one of the key technologies at the heart of this approach. It is the only effective type of solution available for delivering enough guaranteed bandwidth anywhere to run an increasing number of voice, data and video applications. RapidNet Private GSM is also available for maintaining communications with fi eldbased personnel when service from the main network providers is unavailable. The solution provides full, stand alone backup GSM telecoms capacity, enabling secure and private access away from normal terrestrial networks, eliminating problems caused by congestion, security breaches and unavailability. For added resilience the HART units also have 3G Failover, to cover any eventuality should any of the systems fail. When all three MIRVs from each HART team are positioned together they can create a wireless MESH network for enhanced communications, which can then be extended with Excelerate's wireless nodes, giving fi eld personnel the ability to operate using ruggedised laptops and other wireless devices within a secure area. Driving the acquisition of all this new technology have been command objectives such as the clearly identifi ed need for emergency service personnel to receive maximum command and communications support, for personnel to be deployed using safe systems of work, and for the establishment and sharing of a Common Operational Picture across single and multiagency incidents.