Call for military grade first aid kits in football stadiums and train stations

First aid kits including military grade dressings and tourniquets should be installed in venues such as football stadiums and train stations to save lives following stabbings and terrorist attacks, experts have said.

St John Ambulance, UK counter-terrorism police and citizenAID, a group set up by civilian and military doctors, are calling for the public access trauma (PAcT) kits to be installed in key locations.

The equipment could be used by members of the public to provide first aid during an ongoing terrorist attack before paramedics are able to get to the scene, police said.

St John Ambulance's medical director Dr Lynn Thomas wants the kits to become "as commonplace and widely accepted as public access defibrillators".

Travis Frain was 19 when he was injured in the 2017 Westminster Bridge terrorist attack.

He said:

"When it comes down to those crucial seconds, you need every second you can take.

"By having a kit like this available, even if it only buys the ambulance service an extra 30 seconds, that could be 30 seconds which saves someone's life.

"These sort of kits, had they have been in place, could have been incredibly altering to the course of the attack.

"Particularly when someone's dealing with a major bleed, the faster we can get to them and stop that bleed, or at least try and stem the bleeding, the better a chance they have ten-fold of being able to survive that injury."

He added:

"In crowded places, whether the threat comes from terrorism or knife crime, by having these first aid kits available and to have people know how to use them, I think it's incredible important and will save quite a lot of lives."

The equipment is being publicised as part of new standards for first aid provision for the seriously injured drawn up by the groups.

Senior counter-terrorism officer Detective Chief Superintendent Michael Orchard said:

"It is vital that we raise awareness of how simple first aid, with appropriate equipment, can improve a person's chances of survival in a whole range of scenarios.

"It is hoped that the new standards for PAcT first aid kits will assist when people suffer the most serious of injuries.

"This is particularly relevant in the event of a live or ongoing terrorist incident, when first aid may need to be administered by the public until first responders are able to reach any casualties."

As well as the terrorist stabbings seen in recent years in the UK, the severity of violence in street knife attacks has increased.

In parts of the UK St John Ambulance is training teenagers from the age of 14 to treat stab wounds.

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