EMERGENCY bleed kits are being expanded across the area after Avon Fire and Rescue Service (AFRS) joined the Avon and Somerset Bleed Kit Partnership

The network has now grown to more than 750 sites with bleed kits installed at all 21 fire stations across the area.

Working alongside Avon and Somerset Police, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT), HeartSafe, and community partners, AFRS will help to increase public access to the kits and strengthen the local emergency response.

Each kit contains simple, effective, medical equipment and a colour-coded action card aligned with 999 call handler guidance, helping people to act quickly and confidently in an emergency.

When a 999 call reports severe bleeding, a call handler can escalate the incident for clinician support and direct callers to the nearest kit using the HeartSafe interactive mapping system.

All partnership kits are approved by SWASFT, which has enhanced its emergency operation centres with a critical care clinician who supports crews attending catastrophic bleeding incidents.

Avon and Somerset Police Det Chief Insp Lucy Edgeworth, who is the force’s knife crime lead, said: “We are incredibly proud to see the bleed kit partnership continue to grow through this collaboration with AFRS.

“By bringing together police, fire, and ambulance services, we are strengthening our shared commitment to protecting our communities and saving lives.

“These kits are simple to use but can make a critical difference in the moments that matter most.

“In an emergency, members of the public can play a vital role in preserving life before specialist help arrives.

“This partnership is about more than equipment, it is about empowering communities, building resilience, and working together to prevent tragedy where we can.

“We are grateful to everybody involved in supporting and expanding this life saving initiative.”

The kits are unlocked and accessible to anybody, providing vital help in the minutes before an ambulance arrives.

Each kit has a local guardian, and any used or damaged kits can be replaced quickly via a QR code system.

A dedicated legacy fund ensures all partnership kits are repaired or replaced at no cost to their hosts.

While bleed kits can be used in any incident involving catastrophic bleeding, such as workplace accidents and road traffic collisions, AFRS and partners remain committed to tackling the root causes of knife crime, safeguarding young people, and delivering essential prevention and education work across communities.

AFRS children and young people manager and joint safeguarding lead Meg Elvin said: “We are proud to join the partnership and help expand access to lifesaving bleed kits across our communities.

“These kits give the public the ability to take immediate action in the most critical moments, and we are already seeing the difference they can make.

“Alongside our partners, we remain committed to both emergency response and the vital prevention work that keeps people safe.”

The location of bleed kits across the area can be checked on the Heartsafe website, while people can also find a bleedkit partnership brochure online.