Saltford Parish Council is looking to fund Community Bleed Kits in Saltford. Applications are now open! The end date to apply is 27 November 2024 (5pm). A decision about recipients of Community Bleed Kits will be made at SPC’s December 2024 meeting.
Though Saltford Parish Council hopes a Bleed Kit will never be needed, it wants to increase the number and visibility of Bleed Kits around the village in case of an emergency. It is looking to gift up to four highly visible red ‘Community Bleed Kits’ in wall mounted dispensers to local organisations and businesses.
As well as the Bleed Kit in a highly visible wall mounted dispenser, SPC will arrange its free installation via the Avon and Somerset Bleed Kit Partnership team.
All Community Bleed Kits installed through this initiative will be maintained and replenished for free by the Avon & Somerset Bleed Kit Partnership.
All bleed kits must be registered on the Heartsafe Bleed Kit map by the successful applicants, see here for information.
SPC thanks the Avon and Somerset Bleed Kit Partnership for their valuable guidance and support to Saltford Parish Council throughout this initiative.
Image of a Standalone Bleed Kit dispenser as available through SPC’s initiative, image taken from the Avon and Somerset Bleed Kit Partnership brochure
What is a Bleed Kit and why are they needed?
Though often associated with knife crime, Community Bleed Kits can be used in a range of situations including sports injuries, injuries at home, agricultural accidents and road traffic accidents. They are a basic tool to stop heavy bleeding no matter what the situation.
It only takes about four minutes to lose a critical amount of blood after a serious injury. Community bleed kits are designed for anyone to use – including those without medical training – and could make all the difference in those moments before emergency services arrive.
Community Bleed Kits include easy-to-use items like trauma bandages, haemostatic dressings, and tourniquets. In an emergency, members of the public should always call 999 first, and can then be guided through how to help by the call handler.
How did this initiative come about?
The impetus for this initiative followed Curo Places Ltd awarding SPC funding so it could gift its first Community Bleed Kit to the Saltford Community Association, to be located at Saltford Hall. SPC has ordered the Community Bleed Kit using funds from Curo, and hopes that it will be available next to SCA’s defibrillator soon.
At the time, SPC engaged with the Avon and Somerset Bleed Kit Partnership to learn more about the vital lifesaving role Community Bleed Kits can have in areas like ours and which type of Bleed Kit would be suitable for our village.
Through this process SPC identified it wanted to see more Bleed Kits in the village, and has utilised information from the Avon and Somerset Bleed Kit Partnership to identify that ‘standalone’ wall mounted Community Bleed Kits would be most suitable (please see here for details). More information about the Partnership and Bleed Kits can be found in their brochure here and on the Heartsafe Bleed Kit website.
SPC had resolved to do a Bleed Kit initiative previously, however limited resource had delayed progress. It is delighted to now be able to open applications.
Who can apply to SPC for a Community Bleed Kit?
All locations must be in Saltford (within Saltford Parish Council’s parish boundaries).
SPC will look to give up to four Community Bleed Kits to local organisations and businesses, and is likely to favour locations where the recipient organisation or business owns and manages a publicly accessible (24/7 access) working defibrillator. Please see our ‘Defibrillators: Saltford‘ page.
Other 24/7 publicly accessible locations will also be considered, especially those where there is heavy footfall or traffic, and/or where there may not be another Community Bleed Kit nearby.
SPC can look to install wall mounted Bleed Kits at locations where there may already be a Bleed Kit, e.g. those located inside a defibrillator cabinet. This is important as members of the public knowing where these kits are located could make a difference in a critical moment. SPC is aware that Bleed Kits in defibrillator cabinets can also become damaged – and cause confusion for users – in an emergency situation.
Terms and Conditions if applying for a Community Bleed Kit
Recipients must agree with the following Terms and Conditions to receive a Community Bleed Kit:
1. The Community Bleed Kit is located in a publicly accessible location available 24/7/365.
2. Following receipt of the Bleed Kit, the recipient takes on responsibility and ownership of the Community Bleed Kit going forward, including funding, maintaining and replacing the Bleed Kit and its contents as required (though SPC may be able to assist, please see next section below).
3. If the recipient has a defibrillator, SPC requests that the wall mounted Community Bleed Kit is positioned adjacent to the defibrillator, so that it is clearly visible to members of the public (e.g. not inside the defibrillator case).
4. Saltford Parish Council will arrange the free installation of the Bleed Kit, including any associated costs for fixtures or fittings required, with the location for the Bleed Kit clearly agreed in advance. All we ask is that a representative of the recipient’s organisation or business be available and present if required when the installation takes place.
5. The recipient must register the Bleed Kit with Heartsafe on their bleed kit map once installed, so that it can be located in an emergency. Find out about how to register a Community Bleed Kit on the Heartsafe website here. This will be the responsibility of the recipient to do, not SPC. Once Bleed Kits are installed, SPC will look to share information about Bleed Kit locations in Saltford for resident awareness.
6. Saltford Parish Council will purchase the Community Bleed Kit and gift it to the recipient. These are for new Bleed Kits in the village only. SPC will not grant funds to enable recipients to directly purchase their own Bleed Kit. SPC will also not retrospectively fund any Bleed Kits that have already been purchased and/or installed.
7. The type of Community Bleed Kit given by Saltford Parish Council will be the ‘Standalone’ Model 2 version, to be attached to a suitable wall or similar surface. (If the recipient views that the ‘Limpet’ model would be a better option, please inform Saltford Parish Council when making your request. The recipient would need to be able to confirm that their defibrillator cabinet would be compatible with the Limpet model Community Bleed Kit).
What if the Bleed Kit is used – who does maintenance and replenishment?
This initiative includes Saltford Parish Council funding and arranging installation of wall mounted Community Bleed Kit dispenser with a Bleed Kit inside as a gift to the recipient organisation or business.
The Partnership appreciates many organisations may not want the ongoing commitment for cost.
As the kits will be purchased by SPC directly through the Bleed Kit Partnership, they qualify as a legacy kit, which means the Avon and Somerset Bleed Kit Partnership will fully maintain and replenish its contents at no cost to the host / initial funding party.
This is the benefit of Saltford Parish Council buying the kits directly from the Partnership, as only kits paid for and registered via the Avon and Somerset Bleed Kit Partnership qualify for this promise.
If successful in your application and there be issues with the ‘Standalone’ unit in the future, SPC can be approached to fund replacement ‘Standalone’ Community Bleed Kits if required. Though replacement standalone Bleed Kits are not guaranteed by SPC, SPC is looking to budget for this – and potentially further Bleed Kits in the village – as it looks to set its budget for the next financial year.
What’s in a Bleed Kit?
This initiative provides the recipient with a ‘standalone’ model of Community Bleed Kits , the link lists what is included. Replacement Bleed Kit pouches and their contents can be viewed here.
Image of a Bleed Kit pouch contents, taken from the Avon and Somerset Bleed Kit Partnership brochure
How to apply for a Community Bleed Kit from Saltford Parish Council
All applications to receive a Community Bleed Kit need to be sent to Saltford Parish Council by 5pm on Wednesday 27 November, please contact the Parish Clerk (Lottie) by email at clerk@saltfordparishcouncil.gov.uk
In your email please give an address or What3Words location for where the Community Bleed Kit would be located (must be publicly accessible 24/7) and an outline description of your organisation / business.
A formal application to SPC for a Community Bleed Kit means that it is implicit that the recipient agrees with the terms and conditions as stated above (e.g. that the recipient will own and register its Community Bleed Kit and look to be responsible for its ongoing maintenance and contents replacement if required).
When will the recipient find out when its application has been successful?
Saltford Parish Council will discuss who it will purchase and give Community Bleed Kits to at its December 2024 meeting. Though representatives of potential recipients are welcome at the meeting on Tuesday 3 December, if unable to attend, the Parish Clerk will make contact following the meeting to let the recipient know whether their request for a Bleed Kit has been successful.
Once resolved, Saltford Parish Council will place an order with the Avon and Somerset Bleed Kit Partnership, who will install the Community Bleed Kits at the locations agreed. This would likely be in late December / early January, allowing for a slight delay due to the festive period.
Further information
Saltford Parish Council’s decision on who will receive Community Bleed Kits will be final. Please be aware that not all recipients who apply for a Bleed Kit may receive one, and SPC may give fewer than four Bleed Kits to the community.
SPC may not resolve to gift all four Community Bleed Kits at the December meeting. It may, following the December meeting and in light of initial locations for Bleed Kits, resolve to approach potential recipients at other locations in the village to ensure a good geographical spread and to ensure they are in areas where they are more likely to be needed in an emergency (e.g. heavier foot fall, near busy roads etc).
SPC may also look to arrange a Bleed Kit training session open to anyone in the village to attend.
Thank you for your interest in applying for a Community Bleed Kit!
