Support Functions :: USAR Strategic Projects and Specialist Response

Support Functions

Experience (incidents and exercises) has shown us that an 11 strong team of USAR technicians can be quickly completely committed at any working incident. This is partly due to the numerous logistical support jobs that are needed to eventually get tasks done at the ‘sharp end’. Several team members are needed to move and unload vehicles, set up equipment and equipment dumps, transport tools, maintain comms, carry out risk assessments etc etc.

We are developing a system where two specific stations can respond with crews trained in these support areas so the trained USAR technicians can be released to concentrate on their primary role. A trial proved highly successful and the training for the selected retained stations (Bishops Waltham and Rushmoor) is under way.

Bishops Waltham will take a logistics role centred at the base of operations making sure equipment is available, maintained, logged in and out, kept operational and reahabbed ready for use again. They are also being trained as drivers so they can move and unload the modules and drive the MPV.

Rushmoor will provide a specific command support role. They are already one of Hampshire’s trained command support pumps and they will receive further training to allow them to modify those skills to specifically support USAR incidents.