Council approves pre-hospital trauma grant to buy Stop the Bleed kits for battalion units

The Vancouver City Council on March 3, 2025 approved acceptance of a pre-hospital trauma grant that will fund the purchase of Stop the Bleed trauma kits to be staged on battalion chief units across the city.

Councilor Fox asked how many kits the $778 grant would purchase and how the kits would be used. Rob, a fire department official, said the grant will buy 20 vacuum-packed Stop the Bleed kits. “How many stop the bleed kits are we able to purchase? 20,” Rob said. He described a plan to place duffel bags with kits on battalion chief vehicles so those units can hand kits to trained bystanders, off-duty responders or other medically trained people to provide bleeding control until paramedics arrive.

Rob explained the approach was informed by lessons from large mass-trauma incidents: on-the-ground medically trained bystanders can help if equipped. “...our plan with this is to outfit our battalion chief...with duffel bags with these kits within them,” Rob said, adding the kits include the elements needed to control bleeding until emergency medical services take over.

Council discussion noted the grant size is small and that some grants require council acceptance regardless of amount. The city manager said whether council action is required depends on the granting agency’s rules. Councilor Fox moved to approve item number 5; Councilor Hansen seconded the motion. The council approved the grant by voice vote; the transcript does not include a roll-call tally.

Staff also noted the city secured three fire grants recently and thanked grant writers; councilors thanked staff for the work. The council did not provide an inventory of existing kits or a schedule for deployment beyond the description that kits will be staged on battalion chief vehicles.