'Lifesaving' bleed kits installed using grants

Council leader Kevin Guy said: "They will equip people to save the lives of others if the worst happens"

Bleed kits are being installed at 11 public places across Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) to help save lives from stabbings and road accidents.

The kits can be used by bystanders when someone has catastrophic blood loss and contain equipment such as trauma dressings and tourniquets.

BANES council leader Kevin Guy said: “We hope these bleed kits will never be used, but it’s vital they are available in case of emergencies.

"Every second counts in instances of catastrophic bleeding, and they could make the difference between life and death.”

To pay for the kits, councillors have used the £2,500 funding they are allocated each year to spend on local projects which help residents or address concerns in the area.

The scheme is a joint initiative between Avon and Somerset Police, HeartSafe and NHS England South West to place Emergency Bleed Kits in local communities.

A partnership between Avon and Somerset Police, HeartSafe and NHS England South-West has funded more than 500 bleed kits in Bristol and Somerset

Avon and Somerset Police began a initiative last year to install 500 bleed kits across the region by the end of 2024, with the first in Bristol.

The 11 kits, some of which have already been installed, will be located at:

• Community at 67, Keynsham

• Tesco High Street and Weston Hub, Weston

• Eastfield Avenue Community Centre, Upper Weston

• Southside Youth Centre, Rose Cottage and The Centurion, Twerton

• St Andrews Community Church, Foxhill

• One Stop Shop, Bath

• Tesco Westgate Buildings, Bath

• Bath City Farm

An additional kit in Ubley Parish will be funded separately by councillor Anna Box.

Mr Guy said the bleed kits "will equip people to save the lives of others if the worst happens".

A map of the locations of bleed kits across the country can be found on the HeartSafe website.

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