Inspirational Story
Andy Morris
Can you tell us what HART is and what its like working as a paramedic in this area?
HART stands for the Hazardous Area Response Team. It is a department that lies within the Emergency Preparedness Resilience and Response (EPRR) and special operations section with in the service.
HART deal with a multitude of incidents that have the potential to be of a hazardous nature. This can range from emergencies at height, underground, in water, CBRNe and chemical incidents be it accidental or intentional attacks.
HART paramedics are trained with several technical and advanced clinical skills to able to deal with these types of jobs.
What has your career journey looked like?
I began my Yorkshire Ambulance career in 1999 as part of the Patient Transport Service (PTS) as a driver.
Two years later I secured a place as a direct entry Paramedic, qualifying in 2003.
I spent the next 10 years in this role at my local Ambulance station of South Kirkby working on front line ambulances and rapid response vehicles (RRV).
In 2009 I was lucky enough to gain a position on HART that was developed nationally in wake of the 2007 London Bombings and announcement the London was to hold the 2012 Olympics.
I have been a Paramedic now for nearly 20 years and still enjoy the role, the joy and satisfaction of helping people in their hour of need is still as appealing as it was when I first started my career
Has your role developed over time?
The role of the HART paramedic has developed since its initial beginnings, with the introduction of swift water rescue, high consequence infectious disease (HCID) transfers, firearms / ballistic incidents and pre-hospital surgical skills.
In 2017 I started my current role as HART Team Leader, responsible for a team of 6 HART paramedics this includes maintenance of compliance, training, welfare, on scene command and day to day running of station duties.
What do you love about being a paramedic?
I have been a Paramedic now for nearly 20 years and still enjoy the role, the joy and satisfaction of helping people in their hour of need is still as appealing as it was when I first started my career.
It’s a position that gives me an enormous sense of pride and privilege and I would recommend becoming a paramedic to anyone wanting a exciting, caring, worthwhile career in a vital sector of the National Health Service.