LIFE-SAVING bleed control kits could soon be installed across libraries, schools, sports centres and transport hubs under a proposal set to be debated by councillors tomorrow.

Wiltshire Council will consider a motion calling for 100 emergency bleed kits to be installed in public locations across the county at a cost of £22,900.

The motion, brought by councillors Boaz Barry and Chris Vaughan, argues the kits could save lives in the critical minutes before paramedics arrive.

Catastrophic bleeding is described in the proposal as “a leading cause of preventable death following trauma”, with bystanders often able to make a crucial difference if they have the right equipment.

The kits contain specialist medical items including tourniquets, haemostatic dressings and trauma dressings designed to help control severe blood loss.

Under the plans, kits would be placed in 20 leisure and sports centres, 30 libraries, 35 secondary schools and academies, four Wiltshire College campuses, three council buildings and eight major transport stations.

During a 999 call involving severe bleeding, emergency call handlers can already direct members of the public to registered bleed kits in the same way they locate defibrillators.

The proposal would support a wider Wiltshire Bleed Kit Partnership involving Wiltshire Police, HeartSafe UK and South Western Ambulance Service as reported by the Gazette.

Councillors behind the motion say the partnership model has already proved successful elsewhere.

In Avon and Somerset, more than 800 kits have reportedly been installed, contributing to 14 confirmed lives saved.

Wiltshire Police superintendent Mike Vass is backing a countywide rollout, with police expected to take responsibility for checks, maintenance and replacing consumable items at no additional cost to the council.

If approved, the kits would be added to the national HeartSafe mapping system, allowing 999 operators to direct people to the nearest one in an emergency.

The one-off cost would be funded through council underspend or an existing facilities management budget, according to the motion.

Councillors will debate the proposal at Wiltshire Council tomorrow.