PCC funds Catastrophic Haemorrhage kits to police officers to help save lives

Frontline police officers across Leicestershire are to be equipped with special “trauma” kits to help control severe bleeding and save lives when responding to knife crime and violence, it has been announced.

Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner Lord Willy Bach has agreed to fund 120 Haemorrhage Packs – worth £10,000 – to enable police officers across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to deliver critical blood loss management.

The Haemorrhage Packs, which are the same kits used by the East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS trust as part of its #SaveLivesNoKnives campaign, contain chest seals, blast bandages, wound dressings and a tourniquet aimed at stemming blood flow quickly in the event of a serious injury.

When police officers are first on the scene of an emergency, the new kits are designed to give officers everything they need to act swiftly and save lives in the critical minutes following a life-threatening injury.

The move comes on top of the PCC’s pledge to invest £100,000 from reserves into tackling knife crime at grassroots level in Leicestershire to turn impressionable young people away from gang mentality and street violence.  This £100,000 is in addition to the Commissioner’s £250,000 Crime Prevention Fund.

 “Our police officers already undertake comprehensive first aid training as part of the job,” explained Willy Bach.

“The Haemorrhage Packs go one step further ensuring vital equipment is available instantaneously to give victims the best possible chance of survival when they have suffered trauma.

“By the nature of their work, police officers are often first on the scene of a critical incident and it makes perfect sense to equip them to act in those precious early minutes.

“With violence an ever-present threat on Britain’s streets, we need to look at practical measures as well as preventative work to avert more unnecessary deaths and this is a positive step forward.” 

Lee Brentnall, Ambulance Operations Manager for EMAS, said: “We have seen an increase of violent knife crime across the East Midlands and nationally and one of our Big Three visions is to work closely with our partners to improve the outcomes of our patients.

“Thank you to Lord Willy Bach for funding the initial deployment of these packs across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. It’s fantastic news that Leicestershire Police have agreed to train all police officers and place these packs in all frontline police cars. “ 

The management of catastrophic haemorrhage has advanced during the last decade with new products available for frontline paramedics and ambulance crews to improve survival rates.

The faster intervention commences, the more likely it is a patient with severe bleeding will live.

EMAS has launched a social media campaign under the hash tag of #SaveLivesNoKnives featuring videos with frontline paramedics responding to victims of knife crime to raise awareness of the issue and the need to deliver swift treatment. The organisation has agreed to replace the contents of each pack once they have been used in support of the project. 

Ensuring public-facing police officers are well-trained in applying First Aid was one of the recommendations to all police forces of the Stephen Lawrence enquiry in February 1999.

Stephen was murdered in a racially-motivated attack while waiting for a bus in Well Hall, Eltham, on 22 April 1993. 

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