Steelfoot Firearms & Ammunition has announced the launch of its Critical Bleed Control Course, with the first sessions scheduled in May 2026 at the National Shooting Centre, Bisley.
The course has been designed with a simple premise: catastrophic bleeding can happen anywhere, to anyone. It may occur on a shooting range, in the field, on a building site, in a kitchen, on a sports pitch, or during an everyday journey to work. When a major artery is severed, survival is measured in minutes, not hours. And your ability or the ability of the person standing next to you to intervene immediately can make the difference between life and death.
While the training is open to all, Steelfoot’s close ties to the UK shooting and countryside community make that audience a natural starting point. Deer stalkers often operate in remote terrain while carrying extremely sharp knives for gralloching. Gamekeepers and estate staff work across large rural properties where emergency response times may be extended. Range officers, practical shooters and target shooters also operate in environments where preparedness and safety are already part of the culture.
However, the course is intentionally broader in scope. It is equally relevant to parents, farmers, tradespeople, outdoor enthusiasts and anyone who has ever considered what they would do if someone in front of them was bleeding heavily and help was more than a few minutes away.
Steelfoot director, Simon Stevens, speaks about the subject from personal experience.
“I nearly bled out after a motorbike accident. When your femoral artery is severed, the clock starts immediately and it runs out quickly. That experience left me with a very clear appreciation of how vital those first few minutes are. Most people freeze because they’ve never been shown what to do. This course changes that. Being prepared isn’t being paranoid or dramatic; it’s simply being responsible.”
Delivered at Bisley, one of the UK’s most respected shooting venues, the three-hour course combines structured classroom instruction with practical, scenario-based training. Participants will learn how to identify catastrophic bleeding, apply tourniquets rapidly and correctly, use haemostatic dressings and pressure bandages, and stabilise a casualty until professional medical help arrives.
Recognising that many rural and outdoor environments suffer from poor mobile coverage, Steelfoot will also demonstrate the use of Garmin inReach satellite communication devices, which allow users to call for emergency assistance from virtually anywhere.
All participants receive a certificate of attendance, and optional equipment packages, including professional-grade C.A.T. Gen 7 tourniquets, IFAK kits and satellite communication devices, will be available for those wishing to build their own field-ready bleed control kit.
Further details and booking information will be released through Steelfoot’s website and social media channels ahead of the May 2026 launch.