Kits which save lives in the event of a stabbing are to be rolled out in secondary schools and public places across Merseyside.
Knifesavers, a non-profit organisation, aims to empower and educate the public on how to treat life-threatening knife injuries.
The organisation was founded by trauma doctors at the Major Trauma Centre at Aintree University Hospital Liverpool.
Once a person is stabbed it takes only five minutes to bleed to death. A rapid response ambulance takes seven minutes on average to arrive to the scene.
The equipment, known as Bleed Control Kits, will have a positive impact on local communities which’ve been devastated by knife crime by preventing death where possible. They can also be used in other circumstances where an individual needs urgent medical care.
The kits have also been placed in pubs and bars across Liverpool.
MerseyNewsLive spoke to Laura Hughes, advocate and founder of the kNOwknifecrime campaign. The foundation was set up in honour of her late brother, Colin McGinty, who was stabbed to death in 2001, in what was confirmed to be a case of mistaken identity.
Years on from her brother’s murder, Laura tirelessly campaigns to spread awareness for knife crime and has been fundraising for the distribution of Bleed Control Kits.
She said: “We don’t want what happened to our family to happen to anyone else’s, there’s a big piece around educating young people on the dangers of carrying a knife”.
Listen to Lois Adeshile’s report here:
Featured image via Flickr, (c) DPP Law
