Around 100 Emergency Bleed Control Kits to Be Installed Across Wiltshire

Around 100 publicly accessible emergency bleed control kits are set to be installed across Wiltshire as part of a new initiative aimed at helping communities respond to serious bleeding emergencies and potentially save lives.

Wiltshire Council is working with partner organisations to deliver the Wiltshire Community Lifelines project, which will see the kits distributed across all 18 community areas in the county.

Around 40 kits will be installed at council-owned buildings, with the remaining equipment hosted by local community organisations and venues. These participating locations will become known as Wiltshire Community Lifelines Champions.

The bleed control kits are designed to provide members of the public with access to essential equipment to help someone suffering serious blood loss while waiting for emergency services to arrive.

The initiative aims to strengthen community resilience by making potentially lifesaving equipment more widely available and helping people respond quickly during critical emergencies.

As part of the rollout, Wiltshire Council is inviting community organisations, groups and businesses to register their interest in hosting a kit.

Potential locations include sports clubs, village halls, community centres, pubs, shops and other venues that are accessible to the public.

Organisations interested in hosting a kit can complete the online application form through the council's survey website:

Register your interest in hosting an emergency bleed control kit.

The project follows a motion brought to Full Council on 19 May, which received unanimous support from councillors, reflecting a shared commitment to improving emergency preparedness and supporting communities across Wiltshire.

Cllr Mel Jacob, Cabinet Member for Communities, said that while people hoped never to need a bleed control kit, having the equipment available locally could make a significant difference in the moments before emergency services arrive.

She compared the initiative with the growing availability of public defibrillators, explaining that bleed control kits provide another important resource to help communities prepare for emergencies.

Cllr Jacob also praised organisations and community groups that had already introduced bleed control kits in their local areas, highlighting the importance of working together to make the equipment more widely accessible.

Cllr Boaz Barry, who brought forward the original motion, welcomed the progress of the project and thanked the partners involved, including HeartSafe UK and Wiltshire Police.

He highlighted how catastrophic bleeding can become life-threatening within minutes and encouraged town and parish councils across Wiltshire to get involved in bringing the kits to more communities.

Superintendent Mike Vass also stressed the importance of residents knowing where their nearest bleed control kit is located.

He said the kits contain essential lifesaving equipment and clear instructions to help members of the public provide emergency first aid to someone suffering significant blood loss before ambulance crews arrive.

The equipment will be available to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Wiltshire Council hopes the project will build on existing community initiatives, improve access to emergency equipment and give residents greater confidence in responding to serious incidents.

Community organisations, businesses and local groups interested in supporting the scheme can find further information, including details of how to get involved, on the Wiltshire Council website.

More information is available at Wiltshire Community Lifelines – Emergency Bleed Control Kits.