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National Operations

Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response

The Trust’s EPRR function plays a vital role in ensuring effective management of major incidents and emergencies, compliance with national standards and command level training, with responsibilities that include: 

    • Planning, preparing, and coordinating responses to emergencies across Wales, including developing and maintaining plans for major incidents such as CBRN, pandemics, and severe weather.
    • Ensuring compliance with the Civil Contingencies Act (2004) and other emergency planning legislation.
    • Working with Local Resilience Forums (LRFs), Stake holder organisations and partner agencies (police, fire, health boards) for multi-agency coordination.
    • Ensuring critical services remain operational during disruptions through Business Continuity Assessments, plans and training.
    • Providing an ambulance input for large-scale events and sporting fixtures.
    • Delivering command training (strategic, tactical, operational) and joint exercises, including JESIP and counter-terrorism drills.

EPRR ensures WAST can respond quickly and effectively to emergencies, protect public health, and maintain essential services during crises, whilst ensuring the trust maintain their critical requirements under policy and legislation.

 

Hazardous Area Response Team

HART is a specialist unit of highly trained ambulance staff equipped to provide clinical care in hazardous or high-risk environments, including: 

    • Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) incidents
    • Hazardous materials (HazMat) situations
    • Major industrial accidents
    • Terrorist attacks or firearms related incidents
    • Flooding and swift water rescues
    • Confined spaces, working at height, and unstable structure
    • High Consequence Infectious Disease (HCID) 

They are equipped with specialist PPE, breathing apparatus, Chemical protective suits, and rescue equipment and undergo advanced training at the NHS Emergency Capabilities Unit (previously known as National Ambulance Resilience Unit (NARU), covering safety-critical procedures and specialist rescue techniques. They regularly exercise with multi-agency partners (police, fire, military) to maintain readiness for complex incidents.

 

Specialist Operations Response Team

SORT is made up of existing ambulance emergency responders who volunteer for additional specialist training. Their role is to provide extra resilience and capability during major incidents and work alongside HART and other emergency services during multi-agency operations. They are trained to provide:

    • Clinical decontamination within a Haz-Mat or CBRN environment
    • Immediate lifesaving interventions in a Marauding Terrorist Attack MTA
    • SORT Flood Response in times of natural flooding incidents

SORT members receive specialist training from the Trust annually to maintain readiness and are equipped with personal protective equipment and tools for certain hazardous environments.

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