On 15 September 2011, Great Western Ambulance Service (GWAS) received a call from the Welsh Ambulance Service requesting assistance from the Trust’s Hazardous Area Response Team (HART).
Several miners were operating at the Gleision Colliery in a rural part of South West Wales when part of the mine collapsed. Two miners got clear of the main shaft, one miner was caught up in the flood and washed out but four miners were trapped deep inside the complex drift mine.
A number of national specialist rescue agencies were quickly mobilised to the scene including the GWAS HART unit which maintains a one hour notice to move anywhere in the UK. HART paramedics are trained to operate in confined space and can utilise breathing apparatus if the air is compromised. The Welsh HART team is not due to go live until 2012 so the nearest live team was mobilised across the Severn Bridge from North Bristol.
The forward point of the rescue operation was at the principle entrance to the main mine shaft. This location was extremely difficult to access and the only NHS vehicles able to get close were the HART 6×6 all terrain Polaris vehicle and a medical Land Rover.
The GWAS HART team were accompanied by a Tactical Advisor to ensure effective liaison with the Welsh Ambulance Service and support the development of an NHS tactical plan. This was extremely well received by the multi-agency representatives.
HART established a forward medical treatment area to initially receive and treat any casualties. The team were also cleared to penetrate the main mine shaft up to 150 meters as part of a joint Fire Service and Ambulance Emergency Team should NHS level interventions be required.
The Welsh Ambulance Service established a medical evacuation point in a nearby farm yard which was the only point accessible by road vehicles for over a mile. Helicopter and road ambulance assets were stood by at this point to receive any casualties extracted from the scene by the HART Polaris 6×6 vehicle.
This was a protracted incident lasting over 36 hours and HART were required to provide medical cover to over 150 specialist rescue workers who were operating in an extremely dangerous structure. HART is a self-sufficient unit which can remain on scene for several days (or even weeks) if required. Welfare provisions and remote scene lighting carried by the team were also very well received by the rescue workers.
In accordance with standard practice for national HART deployments, the neighbouring units (West Midlands and South Central) were briefed and widened their coverage areas to backfill any incidents in the GWAS patch while the GWAS team operated in Wales. The whole response went particularly well.
HART’s contribution to the incident was formally recognised on the second day when the Government’s Welsh Secretary, Mrs Cheryl Gillan, attended the incident ground and spent some time talking to the HART Team Leader. Mrs Gillan also passed on the thanks of the Prime Minister.
Whilst the outcome was tragic for the four trapped miners and their families, the medical response and support provided by the HART unit was highly praised by the multi-agency command group. Staff operated to an extremely high standard whilst under the constant scrutiny of national broadcast and print media. Stories showing the HART response ran in the national newspapers and were broadcast extensively on national news channels.
To see the main image large click here.
To view a further image of the rescue operation click here.
The Ambulance Leadership Forum, alongside the national HART Programme, sends its sincere condolences to the families and friends of the deceased miners.
