Communities across North Yorkshire are set to become safer thanks to a new programme installing specialised bleed kits in towns and villages across the county. These kits give people immediate access to vital first-aid equipment that can control catastrophic bleeding before emergency services arrive.
The initiative is being led by North Yorkshire Council’s Community Safety Hubs, alongside North Yorkshire Police, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service. Delivery of 45 Daniel Baird Foundation #controlthebleed kits, along with secure cabinets to house them, has been made possible thanks to nearly £20,000 in funding from the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Community Safety Serious Violence and Community Funds.
The Daniel Baird Foundation was established following the tragic death of Daniel Baird, who was fatally stabbed in Birmingham in 2017. The charity works to raise awareness of the importance of publicly accessible bleeding control kits and partners with councils, community groups, and businesses to place them in as many venues as possible.
The kits, supplied by Turtle Medical, are being installed in Harrogate, Skipton, Selby, Richmond, Leyburn, Colburn, Thirsk, Bedale, Northallerton, Stokesley, Malton, Norton, Pickering, Kirkbymoorside, Helmsley, Scarborough, Filey, and Whitby.
Cllr Heather Phillips, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for corporate services, said: “Bleed kits are a simple but powerful way to protect our communities. In rural parts of North Yorkshire, where emergency response times can be longer, having these kits available can quite literally save lives. They give local people the tools to act quickly and confidently in a crisis, strengthening our community’s resilience and offering real peace of mind.”
Dr Lynne Baird MBE, Daniel Baird’s mother, welcomed the rollout. “This is another wonderful example of organisations coming together to do more for community safety and resilience. I’m delighted many more people across North Yorkshire will be able to access the emergency bleed control kits from the public cabinets should they face a catastrophic bleeding injury,” she said.
Jo Coles, York and North Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime, added: “Emergency services respond as quickly as they can, but having specialist equipment already at the scene can be lifesaving, especially in our rural communities. I am delighted we could support this project through community safety investment, helping deliver safe places for everyone.”
All installed kits have been logged on the national Bleed Map, launched this month. Residents are encouraged to visit the website to familiarise themselves with the locations of these and other kits across the country, while remembering to call 999 in any emergency.
For full details and a map of bleed kit locations, visit https://bleedmap.uk/
