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- Published:9 March 2022
Published on 09/03/2022 & Updated on 28/04/2026.
Defibrillators are becoming more and more common in public places, and you should know where your nearest one is from your home or place of work.
But would you know where to find a bleed kit if someone was a victim of a violent crime, was involved in a road traffic collision or if someone experienced a workplace accident?
Like when someone has a cardiac arrest, a rapid response when someone sustains major trauma and bleeding is vital to saving a life. With ambulance response times still stretched beyond capacity, it could be too late for someone who is waiting for paramedics to arrive if they receive no medical assistance in the meantime.
In this blog, we are going to explore what a bleed kit includes, when they should be used, and some statistics on knife crime in the UK, to highlight the shocking need for public first aid options.
What is a Bleed Control Kit?
Bleed control kits, also known as emergency trauma packs, are similar to first aid kits, but they include trauma dressings, gauze, chest seals and tourniquets to help stop serious bleeding, and could be particularly useful in rural areas where ambulance response times are slower.
When someone suffers a serious bleed, they are likely to lose blood rapidly, and will require treatment immediately. Bystander intervention could make the difference between life and death. While waiting for paramedics, a Bleed Control Kit can be used by any lay person, bystander or trained medic with the means to immediately control loss of blood in a medical emergency.
Bleed control kits, also known as emergency trauma packs, are similar to first aid kits, but they include trauma dressings, gauze, chest seals and tourniquets to help stop serious bleeding, and could be particularly useful in rural areas where ambulance response times are slower.
When someone suffers a serious bleed, they are likely to lose blood rapidly and will require treatment immediately. Bystander intervention could make the difference between life and death. While waiting for paramedics, a Bleed Control Kit can be used by any lay person, bystander or trained medic with the means to immediately control loss of blood in a medical emergency.
When someone is bleeding heavily, the Red Cross recommends the following steps:
- Put pressure on the wound – with the equipment from a bleed control kit, or whatever is closest to hand if a kit is unavailable.
- Call 999 – the operator will be able to dispatch help and give you instructions while you are waiting for help.
- Keep pressure on the wound until help arrives – there might be a long wait for help to arrive, so it is important to slow the bleeding as much as possible.
Campaigners are fighting for bleed kits to be made available in places where rates of knife crime are particularly high. You may have seen the ‘Knife Angel‘ sculpture created by Alfie Bradley using knives that were surrendered and seized by police.
The sculpture was created to highlight knife crime in the United Kingdom and educate young people about the harmful effects violent behaviour can have on their communities.
Knife Crime Statistics in the UK
- In England and Wales, incidents involving knives or sharp objects take place every 14 minutes on average.
- London recorded the highest rate of 182 offences involving a knife per 100,000 population in 2024/25.
- According to the Office of National Statistics, in December of 2025, there were over 54 thousand knife-enabled offences in England and Wales. You can see the trend of knife-enabled crime in Figure 3 below.
Defib World supplies professional and civilian bleed control kits. These lightweight packs are fully portable for versatile storage, including bleed cabinet boxes, inside a vehicle, or alongside your other medical/first aid equipment. We also supply a backpack to allow for easy transportation of multiple packs.
All packs includes basic instructions for the lay person to have a straightforward understanding of the equipment included, and where/how to use.
A Standard Bleed Control Kit Includes
- 1 x Bleeding Control Carry Pouch
- 1 x Compressed Gauze
- 1 x 4” Emergency Bandage with D Closure System
- 1 x Trauma Shears
- 1 Pair of Nitrile Examination Gloves
- 1 x Sterile Absorbent Pad 40cm x 20cm
Find The Right Bleed Control Kit
A bleed control kit is not a fix; it is a way of creating more time for medical first aid responders to arrive. It includes medical equipment designed for normal people to use in an emergency to stop heavy bleeding.
We all hope we never need to use a bleed control kit. But having one available is what can make the difference between life and death in the worst-case scenario.
You can find the right bleed control kits, public access first aid kits, and public storage solutions at Defib World.
