London Cabs Armed with Life-Saving Bandages
London’s iconic black cabs are now on the front line of emergency aid. Gear carrying heavy-duty pressure bandages will be stocked in 400 cabs, each sporting a special badge to signal their vital role to emergency services and passers-by.
Battlefield Tech in Taxi Ranks
The bandages, provided by charity Rapaid, can apply up to 18kg of pressure to stop severe blood loss – potentially saving lives in the crucial “golden minutes” before paramedics arrive.
“It made perfect sense for taxi-cabs to carry the same pressure-bar bandages designed for the battlefield,” said Rapaid founder Alex Chivers, a former special forces soldier and Wiltshire Police firearms officer.
Cabs Poised to Save Lives
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A pressure applicator fits over the wound and the bandage can be wrapped around in various directions to control the bleeding effectively.
Taxi Drivers Step Up
Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, praised the initiative: “Black cabs are ideally placed to carry these bandages. Drivers can be quickly flagged down or stop to help at life-threatening scenes.”
“Cabbies often assist people in distress and help keep Londoners safe when disaster strikes. Now, they’re even better prepared.”
The London rollout follows successful trials in Manchester, Oxford, and Exeter, bringing vital lifesaving kits closer to those who need them most.
