WOODLEY and Earley Lions Club has supported the installation of a new piece of life-saving kit.
A new bleed kit, paid for by the club, can now be accessed in Woodley Precinct.
This weekend it will be unveiled by the Town Mayor of Earley, Councillor Mike Smith.
The bleed control cabinet is situated outside Day Lewis Pharmacy, Lower Earley.
The second supported by the club, it follows the installation of the first cabinet within Wokingham Borough, fitted in Woodley Precinct last year.
Lion President Mike Kennedy said: “I had no idea that a person can bleed to death in as little as four minutes.
“When a catastrophic injury occurs, time is of the essence.
“That’s why Emergency Bleed Control Kits and defibrillators are so important and easily accessible 24/7.”
After last year’s successful project Woodley and Earley Lions approached Nicolas Fuselli, the Managing Director of Ministar Services Ltd about the possibility of installing a second bleed control cabinet at the Maiden Lane Centre, Lower Earley.
The Maiden Lane Centre is owned by Mr & Mrs JA Pye’s Charitable Settlement, and The Trustees agreed not only to fund the cost of the bleed kit but also a defibrillator and the two associated cabinets.
The cost of the installation by Turtle Engineering was met by the Lions.
Speaking on behalf of the Trustees, Nick Fuselli, said: “When the Lions approached me earlier this year and explained the importance of emergency bleed control kits in public places, I was delighted to support this project.
“The dual presence of a defibrillator and a bleed control kit will help the public step in and save lives before the paramedics arrive.”
Bleed control kits allow anyone with no specific training to manage severe bleeding from injuries.
They are essential for a wide range of emergencies, including: football accidents, slips, trips, and falls, medical emergencies after hospital treatment, industrial or agricultural accidents, violent incidents including knife attacks, and even accidents caused by drunken behaviour.
Not just a basic first aid kit, a bleed cabinet also contains haemostatic gauze which packs inside a wound to help clotting, vented chest seal to help prevent lungs collapsing after a puncture wound, large trauma dressing which applies pressure to a wound, and tourniquet to slow or stop blood flow.
Other supporting items include gloves, medical shears, a foil blanket, and a CPR face shield.
Free training videos on how to use the kits are available from the Daniel Baird Foundation, along with certified courses.
The new cabinet will be unveiled outside Day Lewis Pharmacy, 15 Maiden Lane Centre, Lower Earley, on Saturday, November 2, at 11am.
For information, and to explore purchasing a kit for their business or organisation, people can visit: turtledefibcabinets.co.uk and search for bleed control.
