Rainford Parish Council Funds KNIFESAVERS Bleeding Control Cabinet for the Village
Rainford Parish Council is proud to announce the installation of a life-saving bleeding control cabinet in the village, which can be accessed in emergencies where someone is suffering from a severe bleed, whether due to a stab wound, accident, or other critical situations. The cabinet contains 4 bleeding control kits, which contain specialist medical equipment such as bleeding control gauze and tourniquets. This vital initiative aims to provide immediate support in emergencies and potentially save lives in our community.
This ’Knifesavers’ initiative is spearheaded by Nikhil Misra, a trauma surgeon who approached the Parish Council having witnessed firsthand the devastation that comes with severe bleeds and traumas, and he is dedicated to improving emergency response measures nationwide.
The bleeding control cabinet in Rainford is part of the broader national ‘Knifesavers’ campaign, which originates from the Major Trauma Centre at Aintree University Hospital and is aimed at making these emergency resources more accessible to communities across the country.
“I am very grateful to the Parish Council and local community for supporting the vision of the KnifeSavers campaign, which is to educate and empower literally anyone and everyone to recognise and control major bleeding due to any type of injury, not just knife wounds. When someone is injured and is bleeding, every second counts. It can take around 3 to 5 minutes for the injured person to bleed out and it can take an average of 7 to 8 minutes for an ambulance to arrive in an emergency. Knowing how to act in such a situation, as well as these bleeding control kits, can help to control major external bleeding and can buy vital time before the ambulance arrives. We have documented reports of a number of cases where these kits and our training have been used to control bleeding in injured people and have saved lives.”
The bleeding control cabinet is strategically located near the centre of the village, at the end of Leyland Road near Reds Café, thanks to the generous support of Mr Steve Farrar the owner of Rainford Fieldsports, who kindly agreed to host the box on his property. The installation was carried out free of charge by Gyles from Old Tom’s Workshop, demonstrating the strength of community spirit and cooperation in Rainford. “I had no hesitation having this life saving kit installed on our building as it could be the difference between life and death if someone is seriously hurt” says Steve Farrar. Gyles from Old Tom’s Workshop continues to say “I am delighted to have been able to help with this wonderful initiative in our village. It’s a potentially life saving resource that could prove invaluable to our community”
Councillor Bernie Bowden has been a passionate advocate for this project since hearing of it and has played a crucial role in securing funding from Rainford Parish Council to make this possible. Her commitment to enhancing community safety has been instrumental in bringing this valuable resource to the village.
Councillor Bowden expressed her gratitude, saying, “This project is a testament to what we can achieve when our community comes together. I am incredibly thankful to Steve, Gyles, and Nikhil for their contributions and to the Parish Council for understanding the importance of such an initiative. This bleeding control cabinet could save lives, and that’s something we should all be proud of.”
The Parish Council encourages all residents to familiarise themselves with the location of the cabinet and hopes this new addition will provide peace of mind to the community.
In addition to the installation of the bleeding control cabinet, Nikhil is holding a training session on recognising and controlling major bleeding in an injury at Rainford Village Hall on 17 October at 7pm. It is important to bridge the gap between resources and knowledge and this free session will provide practical skills to members of the community in how to use the bleeding control packs, as well as the confidence to administer advanced first aid in an emergency situation.
For more information about the blood box and the wider initiative, please contact Rainford Parish Council at clerk@rainfordparishcouncil.gov.uk.
