Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT)

Humanitarian workers are increasingly exposed to challenging, insecure, remote or hostile environments that may be subject to lawlessness, political instability and armed conflict, so there is a compelling need for them to be adequately prepared for any dangers they may encounter.

Sexual harassment, interactions with aggressive armed combatants, day light robbery and traffic accidents are realistic threats for humanitarians and aid workers. All field workers should be adequately prepared for these events and be proficient in establishing and maintaining communications, whether working in a safe or hostile situation. Conscious of the varying needs within the sector, RedR Australia seeks to address the concerns of a range of organisations and individuals and their insurance providers. These include relief, development, research and advocacy organizations, operational agencies and agencies that are not directly operational but provide support to community based organisations and locally based NGOs.

Conducted in English but with access to Arabic-speaking trainers, RedR Australia’s HEAT course includes integrated Duty To Respond (DTR) First Aid training in partnership with the Jordan Paramedic Society (JPS). JPS will deliver a combination of theory and practical based emergency medical training, giving participants the skills and knowledge to manage ballistic, penetrating and blast trauma. A few of the skills learned in DTR include commercial and improvised tourniquets and haemorrhage control, airway management of an unconscious casualty and an array of improvised techniques teaching students how to save and preserve life with limited resources. Participants will leave the course with the skills and knowledge to provide aid and operate in hostile environments around the world.