Explainer

How to save someone's life with a bleed kit

  • Anti-knife crime campaigner Leanne Reynolds explains what the kits contain

Hundreds of life-saving bleed kits have been installed across the West Country - but would you know how to use one?

Like CPR, it's the sort of thing many of us would like the chance to practice, before we're in a life and death situation.

Anti-knife crime campaigner Leanne Reynolds said that "anyone can use" a bleed kit.

"You don't need any training and you can stop the bleed while you wait for an ambulance", she said.

"These kits have been designed for public access and while you're on the 999 call they'll direct you through the contents and advise you how to stop the bleed."

She has worked with the Daniel Baird foundation to get the kits installed across Bristol and Bath. Dan was just 26 when he was fatally stabbed in Birmingham in 2017.

Leanne speaking to the crowds at a community vigil for the victims of the recent stabbing in Knowle West. Credit: PA

Last month, two teenagers died in a knife attack in Knowle West, Bristol. Leanne attended a community vigil for the victims and said people were "shattered" by the news.

Speaking to ITV News West Country nearly two weeks on, she added: "I think the shock and devastation is still there.

"Tina Bond from Bristol City Council has led a partnership of all the youth organisations to actually safeguard and look after all the individuals and make sure they have trauma counselling.

"We have activities for young people to get them off the streets."

Each element of the kit is colour-coded to an area of the body

The kits can vary in design, but each one typically contains two trauma dressings, two haemostatic dressings and a tourniquet.

Some also have a chest shield which allows the injured person to breathe more easily after sustaining a torso wound.

Trauma dressings

Trauma dressings are a highly absorbent padded dressing that can be used to cover the wound, followed by sustained pressure to the area.

Haemostatic dressings

Haemostatic dressings accelerate blood clotting to control severe bleeding in trauma situations, reducing blood loss. These should be used at junction regions like the neck, groin and armpit.

Tourniquet

Tourniquets are medical devices used to reduce catastrophic bleeding to the arms or legs by applying pressure to stop the blood flow.

Other items typically included in the kit

  • 2 x Individual Pair of Nitrile Gloves 

  • Medical Shears/Scissors

  • Foil Blanket

  • CPR Face Shield

  • Whistle