Emergency kits could be the difference between life and death

New emergency kits that stop bleeding have been put in four places in Wirral, and more will come soon. These Emergency Bleeding Control Kits are kept in boxes like the ones that hold defibrillators. They help people who are bleeding a lot from a wound, just like defibrillators help people whose hearts stop.

These kits can save lives. If someone is bleeding badly, like from a stab wound, they could die in five minutes. An ambulance takes about seven minutes to arrive, so the kits help stop the blood until help gets there.

The kits were made by KnifeSavers, a group started by doctors at Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool, along with people who were hurt by knives and their families. The first four kits are at McDonald’s in Charing Cross, Birkenhead, and Liscard Way in Wallasey, plus Hoole Road Hub in Woodchurch and Heswall Library. The Wirral Community Safety team will check on them regularly.

Each box has four kits. You can get them by calling 999 for a code. Inside, there’s a tourniquet, dressings, a foil blanket, gloves, and simple instructions. They’re looking for more places to put up to 16 more boxes and 50 indoor kits. The kits and training are free, but the places need to pay to install them. You can find out more on the Wirral Council website: https://www.wirral.gov.uk/knifesavers.

Knife crime is a big problem, especially for young people. Some carry knives to feel safe, but that can make them more likely to get hurt. These kits help stop bleeding and save lives, not just from knives but from other bad injuries too.

There are people working together to stop knife crime, like EVOLVE Wirral, which helps in places like Beechwood, Ballantyne, Noctorum, and Woodchurch. The kits are another way to keep people safe. We’re thankful to the places hosting them and hope more will help.

– Cllr Ann Ainsworth, Vice-Chair of the Tourism, Communities, Culture and Leisure Committee, Wirral Council