Urban Search and Rescue

Vehicles

Hampshire took delivery of two prime movers and units one and four in July 2005. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) will provide three prime movers and five demountable units made up of:

Unit one – technical search, breaking and breaching, shoring, working at height kit, air monitoring:

Urban Search and Rescue Vehicle (7 kb)

Unit two and three – heavy capability lifting and cutting including hot cutting (to be confirmed).

Unit four – Multi purpose vehicle with bucket, forks, generator, stowed in skip (used for debris removal):

Urban Search and Rescue Vehicle (7 kb)

Unit five – ‘A Frame’ bed with timber load (for timber shoring).

The Service has for many years undertaken specialist operations and has always had specialist response staff and training in various areas eg hazardous materials (Hazmat) and offshore fire-fighting. In more recent times other operational specialists have been introduced eg Command Support, Incident Command and Emergency Catering. The latest additions include the stations who set up the mass decontamination systems, the Urban Search and Rescue Team and the Animal Rescue Advisors.

Yet more specialist roles will undoubtedly be needed in the future. The continued implementation of ‘New Dimension’ and other modernising capabilities could include high volume pumping, water rescue, rope rescue, trench rescue and hazmat identification. At present Hampshire's USAR team consists of 33 personnel, 9 of which are full time and includes 3 search dog teams.

The roll-out plan is an incremental process which will ultimately provide for a national USAR capability fully crewed and in place by March 2007. It is likely that some elements of the plan will change due to prevailing and unforeseen circumstances.