As we mark the 9th anniversary of Daniel Baird’s tragic death this month, it seems fitting to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey that bleed kits have been on, from their conception to today, when there are now more than 35,000 Daniel Baird bleed kits deployed across the UK, being used on average 4-5 times a week. Credit must go to Lynne, Daniel’s mum, and the rest of the family, who still work tirelessly to tell Daniel’s story, get kits into communities and, ultimately, save lives.
Turtle Medical are proud to call the Daniel Baird Foundation their Charity Partner, and since 2021 have been supporting the Foundation with the manufacture of both the bleed kits themselves as well as the signature red metal bleed control cabinets, seen now not only on the streets of Birmingham (where Daniel lost his life) but all over the country.
Today communities are far more aware of the dangers of catastrophic bleeds, have a choice of how and where to locate bleed kits, and are able to register them with the ambulance service so they can be accessed quickly in the event of a bleed. With Martyn’s Law firmly on the horizon, bleed kits are not only here to stay, but set to see even bigger growth in their deployment, becoming widely available in all popular public spaces, from transport to sports and leisure, places of worship and education, and of course community centres and events.
It feels hard to believe that before 2017 there were simply no public bleed kits. Not one. And yet we know there were plenty of bleeds. Here at Turtle Medical we hear so many examples of bleeds on a weekly basis, and only a small number of them ever reach the local, let alone national news. But these are the types of bleeds that certainly occurred in the past, rather than being caused by artificial intelligence, renewable energy or space exploration, areas that have also seen massive development in the last 9 years.
Examples of bleeds grouped roughly by setting/location:
- Road traffic incidents- car bleeds range from seat belt lacerations to tree branches and other objects piercing windscreens, motorbike riders can suffer horrendous limb and torso wounds, whilst pedestrians are often the most vulnerable when they come into contact with a road vehicle
- Workplace bleeds- many workers operate cutting machinery, from your local butcher to a large manufacturing factory
- Bleeds at home- gardening, cooking, even slipping on uneven or icy ground, can all cause a bleed
- Self-harm- with mental health issues arguably at an all time high, sadly there are many incidents of bleeds caused by self-harm
- Recreational bleeds- the 10 year old boy who tripped over a kerb playing football, the dad who tripped over his own flip flop whilst throwing/catching a rugby ball with his son (yes really), the elderly lady who fell at her local social club (we like to think she was having a good time dancing to an Elvis impersonator at the time but this has not been confirmed), the man who cut into his own leg by mistake during a tyre change (new punctured wheel proved tricky as cover secured by cable tie)- these bleeds are the most unexpected, the most unpredictable and therefore often the hardest to treat. With only 3-5 minutes to control a critical bleed, kits must be readily available, quick to access, and easy to use.
All these bleeds, without the additional pressure on our emergency services from the increase in knife crime/attacks.
Most of you know the story of how public bleed kits came about- Daniel’s mum refused to accept that his death was unavoidable, and with the help of the ambulance service designed a kit that could be put into public spaces for future bleeds like Daniel’s. It is quite possible that even she did not realise the impact of these kits, and how they would come to be a medical emergency item in public spaces almost as common as a public defib. In the old days of course (2018-2021) the kits were donated to schools, pubs, nightclubs, locations that were considered high risk or with high footfall/vulnerable community members such as children/teenagers.
2021 was a hugely significant year, with the first bleed control cabinets appearing. Now the bleed kits could be made available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Whether your bleed cabinet is locked or unlocked, attached to a wall, fence or railings, customised or simply a standard Daniel Baird, it allows the public to access a kit at any time.
Turtle have always encouraged customers to register their bleed kits/cabinets with the ambulance service, like public defibs are registered on The Circuit. Excitingly in January 2026 Bleed Map was launched, a charity database enabling all bleed kit owners across the UK to register their kits (as long as the kits are located in a fixed location). Over 5000 kits have already been registered in the last 6 months, which is evidence of its popularity as a tool. Turtle customers have been asking for such a tool for a long time. A national database is so important as it allows ambulance services to deploy equipment not only locally, but across borders and neighbouring services.
So when you buy a bleed kit today, you are investing in a national infrastructure of emergency medical equipment. Not bad for £85.
Where do bleed kits go from here?
It is a bizarre coincidence that Daniel Baird and Martyn Hett both died in 2017. Starkly different circumstances, but both have left their legacy. Thanks to another devoted and hard-working mum, Figen Murray, Martyn’s Law is set to transform how venues prepare for the unexpected, including catastrophic bleeds.
Whether the injury is caused by a terrorist attack, a lone gunman or attacker wielding a knife, or indeed due to an explosion, collapsed building, or other large scale incident, bleeds can and do occur unexpectedly, and venues will now be expected to be ready.
Turtle Medical, through their work with the Daniel Baird Foundation, as well as collaborations with the police, ambulance and fire services, transport companies, construction industry and community projects, know all about critical bleeds. The Turtle Enhanced PAcT kit is an expanded version of a Daniel Baird bleed kit (with a few additions) and not only complies with Martyn’s Law, but exceeds it.
Venues coming to us for Martyn’s Law provision can feel confident that we can advise on best practice, whether they are a university, football stadium or council planning a Christmas market.
From the original Daniel Baird kit, to the Enhanced PAcT, to larger/bespoke trauma options, we have a trauma kit, matching cabinet, and even training for you.
The future of bleed kits looks bright.
