Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen has provided funding for trauma cabinets in key locations across Durham City to help save lives in the event of an emergency.
The new cabinets have been installed in highly visible areas of the city and are accessible to the public to help people preserve or save a life in circumstances where a person has sustained an injury and is experiencing significant blood loss.
Fitted by Durham County Council, the new kit cabinets contain items such as pressure bandages, tourniquets and gloves and will enable members of the public to take life-saving action prior to an ambulance arriving at the scene.
The initiative has been led by the Serious Violence Prevention Partnership – a multi-agency group supported by the PCC that is working to improve safety across County Durham and Darlington.
The kits will be available for use in any incident in which a person has received a traumatic injury including a fall or road traffic collision.
Kits have been stowed close to the Gala Theatre, on Market Place and at the bus station on North Road. In an emergency, people can be directed to the locations via the Good Sam app.
Commissioner Allen said: “Durham remains a safe city and does not experience the same level of incidents seen in the larger metropolitan areas. Alongside partners, I am determined to keep it that way.
“These packs will enable members of the public to intervene instantaneously when someone has suffered a traumatic injury, giving them the best possible chance of survival. Evidence shows that the minutes immediately following an injury, prior to paramedics arriving at the scene, are critical and so I have no doubt these kits will potentially save lives.
“I would like to thank our partners at Durham County Council for fitting the kits in high footfall areas of the city to ensure they are visible and available for anyone needing to use the equipment in an emergency.”
Durham Constabulary has agreed to monitor the cabinets and to replenish when necessary. Most officers are already trained or have a workable knowledge of using the kits.
The kits are already in existence in other areas of the country including Northumbria and Cleveland as part of wider measures to increase public safety.
Cllr Mark Wilkes, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for climate change and neighbourhood services, said: “We’re really pleased to have teamed up with the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office to introduce Bleed Kits at three sites in Durham City centre.
“Durham remains a safe and welcoming city but rolling out these kits is about increasing the help that is available to people should they need it, with similar equipment already deployed elsewhere in the region and even globally.
“We very much hope these kits will not be needed but they will be ready to hopefully save lives if required.”
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