Seventeen new bleed control cabinets containing lifesaving equipment are to be installed across the county by Off The Streets NN, with the support of funding from Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold.
The cabinets contain medical items that are used to stop catastrophic bleeding and keep someone alive until the emergency services arrive. The cabinets are being fixed outdoors in high profile locations including in Northampton’s Racecourse, Eastfield Park – Wellingborough, the Recreation Ground in Kettering and at Adrenaline Alley in Corby.
In addition, 30 bleed control kits – trauma packs that are like first aid kits but contain specialist items that are used to stop serious bleeding – will be put into shops and stores that will be identified by a window sticker.
These new kits and cabinets join more than 50 others already installed by campaigning organisation Off The Streets NN and are funded through a grant of £10,000 by Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold.
Off the Streets NN set up the scheme to tackle knife and gang-related crime through a partnership approach, involving community bodies ranging from educational establishments to faith-based organisations and voluntary agencies.
Rav Jones of Off the Streets NN, said: “We have listened to the community about where they think the cabinets should be located. Local people know where the best spots are where they could make a difference. We are aiming to reduce knife and gang crime and save the lives of younger people.”
The bleed control cabinets allow someone to call 999 and be linked to an emergency operator, who will talk them through using the lifesaving kit.
The cabinets are accessible at all hours, and while the bags that are placed in shops are only available during opening times, Jane Capps of Off the Streets NN said: “Having a bleed bag on their premises lets a business show how seriously they take their duty of care to their staff and to the wider community. We hope they are never used but if I had my way, there would be a kit in every shop in the county.”
Off the Streets NN also arrange training sessions, to give people across the community the skills to help save a life and more than 200 people have been trained so far.
Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold said: “I am full of admiration for Off the Streets NN, and so proud to be able to support them. They are showing incredible commitment to making Northamptonshire safer and when I look at the work that Jane and Rav and other volunteers are putting in, I see a shining example of a community coming together and taking action to tackle a major cause of community concern.
“Off the Streets are taking very practical and positive action to tackle knife crime, they have achieved so much in such a short time, and I am very grateful for everything they are doing.”
At the end of 2018, the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner funded trauma response kits for every police response vehicle in Northamptonshire, alongside training for every frontline police officer in dealing with major traumatic injuries.
The bleed cabinet locations are at:
Northampton:
Racecourse; Sixfields; Delapre – Far Cotton Recreation Ground; Blackthorn Community Centre
Wellingborough:
Eastfield Park; Bassets Park; Castle Park; Finedon Recreation Ground; Irthlingborough Fire Station;
Kettering:
Pleasure Park; Recreation Ground (Northampton Road)
Corby:
Adrenaline Alley
