Skip to content

Bleed control kits for county's towns and villages

Andrew BartonYorkshire
News imageNorth Yorkshire Council The image shows a bright red Emergency Bleed Control Kit mounted on an exterior brick wall. The kit has instructions printed on the front, including a directive to call 999 and listen carefully to instructions. It features a keypad lock on the left side of the box. In the background, there is an outdoor produce display with vegetables such as carrots and broccoli.North Yorkshire Council
A bleed control kit and cabinet was recently installed in Thirsk Market Place

Lives could be saved thanks to 45 special kits which are being installed across North Yorkshire, the council has said.

Bleed kits contain items such as a tourniquet, bandages and a foil blanket.

They were originally launched in the West Midlands in 2017, after Dr Lynne Baird campaigned for their roll-out, following the fatal stabbing of her son Daniel.

North Yorkshire Council's executive member for corporate services, councillor Heather Phillips, said: "Bleed kits are a simple but powerful way to protect our communities."

Towns and villages to receive the Daniel Baird Foundation kits include Harrogate, Skipton, Selby, Richmond, Leyburn, Thirsk, Pickering, Scarborough and Whitby.

The scheme is being led by North Yorkshire Council, alongside the county's emergency services, with funding of £20,000 for the equipment provided by the combined authority.

News imageLynne Baird The image shows Dr Lynne Baird standing indoors, holding a bright red first-aid pouch with “Public Bleed Control Kit” printed on the front. She is wearing a dark cardigan over a patterned top with floral designs. The background features wooden wall panels and a doorway.Lynne Baird
Lynne Baird campaigned for the roll-out of the bags she believes could have prevented her son's death

The Daniel Baird Foundation, set up after Daniel died on a night out in Birmingham, aims to raise awareness of the importance of having publicly accessible bleeding control packs.

It works closely with local government organisations, community groups and business organisations, to get kits into as many venues as possible, officials said.

Phillips said while the kits were "important" in urban areas, in rural parts of the county, 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," she added.

News imageFamily Handout The image shows a black‑and‑white photo of the upper body and face of Daniel Baird. Only part of his head, ear, neck, and shoulder are visible. Daniel is wearing a patterned top, and the background includes a door with a small sign above it.Family Handout
Daniel Baird was stabbed outside The Forge Tavern in the Digbeth area of Birmingham

Welcoming the roll-out, Dr Baird said: "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 kits from the public cabinets, should they be faced with a catastrophic bleeding injury."

The installed bleed kits have been logged on a national register, known as the Bleed Map.

A spokesperson for the Bleed Map said: "While people must remember to call 999 in any emergency, we hope residents across North Yorkshire will go to the website so they know the exact location of these kits as well as others that have been registered so far."

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.

More on this story
Related internet links