Two new bleed kits have been installed across Oxford, marking an important step in improving public access to potentially life-saving equipment.
The bleed kits, which have been installed outside East Oxford Community Centre and the shops on St Nicholas Road in Littlemore, aim to empower members of the community to respond to life-threatening bleeding in the critical moments before emergency services arrive.
Severe bleeding can lead to death within minutes, so the bleed kits could save lives.
Each kit contains essential first aid equipment, such as tourniquets, gauze, trauma dressing, chest seals and gloves, to help control heavy bleeding in critical situations. Like defibrillators, the bleed kits are stored in secure cabinets on the outside of buildings
In an emergency, members of the public can access the kit by calling 999 and requesting an ambulance. The ambulance service will provide the access code needed to open the cabinet and retrieve the bleed kit.
This latest installation means there are now six publicly accessible Bleed Kits available across Oxford:
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Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre
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Barton Community Centre, Underhill Circus
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St Nicholas Road Shops, Littlemore
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Blackbird Leys Road Shops
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East Oxford Community Centre, Cowley Road
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Templars Square, Between Towns Road
The installation of the bleed kit was marked by a free performance of Motherhood at East Oxford Community Centre, a powerful solo show by Claire Nelson that explores the impact of knife crime on parents. The event also featured 'Stories That Hit Home', a collection of pieces written and performed by local people whose lives have been affected by knife crime.
Set in Oxford and based on real events and lived experiences, both performances highlighted the devastating impact of knife crime on individuals, families, and communities.
The installation event also gave attendees the chance to see a bleed kit up close and learn more about how it could be used in an emergency.
The installation is part of the Council's wider effort to enhance community safety and ensure people have access to essential first-aid tools in critical situations.
Comment
"In an emergency, every second counts. While I hope that these bleed kits are never needed, it is reassuring to know that they are there and could be the difference between life and death. The Council is proud to be expanding the locations of these bleed kits across the city, and to be working to help make Oxford safer for everyone."
Councillor Lubna Arshad, Cabinet Member for a Safer Oxford
"I'm so pleased that funding from Thames Valley Police for the Stories That Hit Home project has enabled more publicly accessible bleed kits for Oxford. We also want people to realise that anyone can use these kits to help someone suffering from severe bleeding before professional help arrives. Emergency services give the code to unlock the kits and there's instructions inside. Using one might just save someone's life.
Thanks to the support of Oxford City Council Stories That Hit Home hopes to continue sharing the stories of local people affected by the impact of knife crime through performances at community centres in Oxford."
Claire Nelson, “Motherhood” writer and performer
