My name is James Bartlett, I’m Australian and completed my Paramedic Education in Sydney. I moved to the UK and have been working as a paramedic in the London Ambulance Service for the last 5 years. In December 2023 I joined the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART)  in London and began my initial training. I’m excited for all the new challenges this role will present and will continue to share my experience through this process.

HART are trained and equipped to provide the ambulance response to high-risk and complex emergency situations. HART teams work together alongside police and fire rescue on large scale or high-profile incidents, either accidental or deliberately caused. A HART team’s job is to triage and treat casualties in very difficult circumstances or environments. Some of these can include confined spaces, hazardous materials, urban search and rescue, water operations and incidents at height.