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Avon Fire & Rescue Service (AF&RS) has joined the Avon and Somerset Bleed Kit Partnership to expand access to emergency bleed kits across the region, supporting a network that has now grown to 750+ sites. These bleed kits are installed on all there 21 fire stations across the Service area.
Working alongside Avon and Somerset Police, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT), HeartSafe and community partners, AF&RS will help increase public access to the kits and strengthen local emergency response. Each kit contains simple, effective medical equipment and a colour coded action card aligned with 999 call‑taker guidance, helping members of the public act quickly and confidently in an emergency.
When a 999 call reports severe bleeding, call takers can escalate the incident for clinician support and direct callers to the nearest kit using HeartSafe’s interactive mapping system. All partnership kits are SWASFT‑approved, and SWASFT has enhanced its Emergency Operations Centres with a critical care clinician who supports crews attending catastrophic bleeding incidents.
Lucy Edgeworth, Detective Chief Inspector and Force Knife Crime Lead at Avon and Somerset Police, said: “We are incredibly proud to see the Bleed Kit Partnership continue to grow through this collaboration with Avon Fire & Rescue Service. 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’s about empowering communities, building resilience, and working together to prevent tragedy where we can. We are grateful to everyone involved in supporting and expanding this lifesaving initiative.”
The kits are unlocked and accessible to anyone, 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 hosts.
While bleed kits can be used in any incident involving catastrophic bleeding, such as workplace accidents and road traffic collisions, AF&RS and partners remain committed to tackling the root causes of knife crime, safeguarding young people and delivering essential prevention and education work across communities.
Meg Elvin, Children & Young Persons Manager & Joint Safeguarding Lead at Avon Fire & Rescue Service, said: “We’re 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’re 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.”
For more information on exact locations of bleed kits in the area please visit the HeartSafe Website – Bleed Kit Map | HeartSafe® AED Locator