Inner Cordon 2010 HART Conference Exhibition
10 – 11 June – BT Convention Centre, Liverpool
Hughes will be showing the latest version of its rapid deployment shelter on stand … at Inner Cordon 2010. The conference and exhibition will focus on the work of Hazardous Area Response Teams (HART) and their colleagues working inside the ‘warm zone’ or inner cordon at major incidents.

The versatile Hughes Articulated Rapid Deployment (HARD) shelter has been specifically developed for this type of ‘front-line’ role and the latest version, being demonstrated in Liverpool, provides temporary mortuary facilities.

It incorporates an insulated liner together with a portable air conditioning system to ensure that the temperature remains below 4°C, the specified maximum. As with all HARD shelters, it can be erected and fully operational in a matter of minutes and is available with a range of optional ancillary equipment including portable generators, lighting, heating and water pumps to ensure reliable operation in a variety of environments.

The shelter has a one-piece, rigid folding aluminium frame and is easily carried to the scene of an incident where it can be erected by two people in just two minutes. The same basic frame with integral cover can be adapted for different roles by simply changing the internal liner. This flexibility enables emergency services to optimize their investment and avoid having several shelters each dedicated to a specific duty.

Several HARD shelters can be connected together to provide extra space. In addition to a temporary mortuary, typical applications include a command and control centre, first aid shelter, operating theatre, casualty holding area and emergency washing or toilet facilities. Based on its experience designing military shelters, Hughes also offers a decontamination liner for the HARD shelter so that members of the emergency services and the public can wash off harmful substances. In addition to the standard range of liners, Hughes works with organisations to custom design liners for specific applications.

Hughes will be showing the latest version of the HARD shelter at Inner Cordon 2010. This conference and exhibition, to be held in Liverpool on 10 – 11 June, will focus on the work of Hazardous Area Response Teams (HART) and their colleagues working inside the ‘warm zone’ or inner cordon at major incidents.

The HARD shelter has been specifically developed for this type of ‘front-line’ application. It’s exceptionally versatile and the same basic covered frame can be adapted for different roles by simply changing the internal liner. This latest version, being demonstrated in Liverpool, provides a temporary mortuary for the reception and storage of fatalities. It adds to the growing range of standard liner options, extending the range of applications.

An insulated liner together with portable air conditioning system ensures that the temperature remains below 4°C, the maximum permitted for mortuary facilities. As with all HARD shelters, it can be erected and fully operational in a matter of minutes.

A wide range of emergency response personnel will be attending the event from the ambulance, fire and rescue services, to police, homeland security and emergency planning.

While we introduce them to the latest version of the HARD shelter, it’s also an opportunity to once again demonstrate the shelter’s versatility with applications for all those involved in responding to emergencies.

Stockport based Hughes Safety Showers is the first manufacturer in the North West to achieve the Investors in People Gold Award. The company has held Investors in People accreditation since 2002 and this latest extension to the award is designed to stretch organisations even further.

‘When we were due for our re-assessment, which takes place every three years, we decided to raise the bar and go for gold,’ says Managing Director Tony Hughes. After an initial meeting with the assessor, it was clear we already had almost everything in place to meet the qualification criteria. A brief update for all staff on the latest developments within the business was all that was required.’

Currently 30,000 companies are accredited to Investors in People. Since the introduction of the additional Gold, Silver and Bronze awards in May 2009, less than 1% of the companies that have been re-assessed have achieved Gold; Hughes Safety Showers is the first manufacturing company in the North West to achieve the Gold award.

You can now watch the full Hughes Corporate Video online right here: