More taxis to get life-saving kit for stab victims

Emergency equipment to treat stab victims will be handed to another 150 taxi drivers across Plymouth.

The kits, containing potentially life-saving bandages, are provided through a collaboration between the city council, the charity Rapaid Emergency Bandages, and Babcock International.

The new kits will brings the number of cabs in the city carrying the bandages to 400.

Councillor Sally Haydon, cabinet member for community safety who also chairs the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Panel, said: "I would hope that none of our taxi drivers would need to use this, but if they do it could save someone's life."

Rapaid Emergency Bandages, which was set up by a former police firearms officer, wants to make life-saving emergency bandages as commonplace and as accessible as fire extinguishers and defibrillators across the UK.

Haydon said Plymouth led the way with the first kits in taxis last year.

"The bandages are designed to be quick and easy to use and stem serious blood loss until help arrives," she said.

"We are seeing more knife injuries than we did 10 years ago and we are trying to do anything we can to help.

"If just one person is saved from this, it is a major thing.

"I want to express my great thanks to our taxi drivers, they are going to the next level again in trying to make Plymouth a safe place."

The kits are available to both private and Hackney cab firms.

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