Maidstone has become the first town in the county to introduce a potentially life saving scheme.

Kent Police and One Maidstone Business Improvement District have joined forces to roll out an Emergency Trauma Pack (ETP) scheme for town centre traders.

KMTV reports on the project

The kit has been designed to be used in medical emergencies such as a stabbing, terrorist attack or a road traffic accident.

The packs come in two sizes, with the larger one costing £500 and containing dressings, bandages, a stretcher, resus shield, thermal blankets and haemorrhage kits.

A smaller bleed control version is also available which costs £80.

So far Fremlin Walk, McDonald’s in Week Street, McDonald’s in Broadway, The Brenchley and The Mall have bought one of the packs.

Staff at all the ETP sites will be given free training on how to use the equipment and what to do if a traumatic incident occurred.

Ch Insp Nick Sparkes said the kits will simply, "keep people alive".

He said: "The is a brilliant initiative that will really help our officers, partners and members of the public to save lives.

“Put simply, the equipment contained within these packs will keep people alive.

“Having access to a greater supply of simple lifesaving equipment than in the traditional basic first aid kit will allow trained personnel to deal with victims of major trauma.”

“Kent Police supports anything that might help lives to be saved and we are fully behind their more widespread introduction.”

BID manager Ilsa Butler said: “Whilst we hope that the need to use this kind of equipment never arises, it’s important that venues and businesses within the town centre are prepared for emergency situations.

The kits will be placed in a range of easily accessible sites.

Yesterday, we reported how a knife bar had been erected in a Maidstone park.

In August student Andre Bent was stabbed to death outside Gallery Nightclub.

To keep up-to-date with all the latest developments with your local hospitals and other health stories, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Maidstone