An ambulance service boss has agreed advanced first aid training to help save lives in a terror attack 'definitely' needs to be started at school.
Keith Prior, a director of the National Ambulance Resilience Unit (NARU), was giving evidence at the Manchester Arena public inquiry into the 2017 terror attack.
He agreed children should be taught 'techniques like protecting an airway and stemming catastrophic bleeding' alongside other basic first aid training they may receive.
The inquiry into the deaths of 22 people in a suicide bombing is hearing evidence on what's known as the 'care gap' and how to bridge it.
The gap is described as the period between a terrorist or mass casualty incident occurring and the arrival on scene of professional, clinical staff to treat casualties.
Paul Greaney QC, counsel to the inquiry, said an issue to be considered was 'how do we make sure that those who happen to be present during the care gap, whether they've been there at the time or have run to the scene, are equipped in terms of knowledge and in terms of actual equipment to provide care pending the arrival of your staff?'
He referenced Government counter-terror advice of 'run, hide, tell', but said there was 'no requirement or expectation' that the public would 'get involved' in treating casualties.
But the QC said 'experience across a long period here and across the world' was that members of the public 'do actually run to the scene and bravely and selflessly provide their assistance'.
Mr Prior said the National Ambulance Resilience Unit agreed that 'as much as possible should be done to educate the public' in life-saving techniques like protecting an airway and stemming catastrophic bleeding.
He said NARU supported the work of organisations like citizenAID and St John Ambulance - and agreed that 'definitely' the issue 'needs to be started at school'.
Mr Prior agreed that if the 'majority of the public, or even a good proportion', had the skills it was 'capable of making a real difference in terms of mitigating the care gap'.
The inquiry heard 'public access trauma first aid kits' - often known as 'bleed kits' - are now being installed at public venues nationally.
Armed police officers are also being issued with 'drop bags' - first aid kits they can leave on the ground as they respond at the scene to terror attacks for the public and medics to use.
And Mr Prior said he was 'heartened' by evidence heard that by the end of the year, all uniformed unarmed police officers would receive training in 'life-saving techniques such as stemming catastrophic bleeding and managing an airway' - and that armed officers would be expected to try and offer 'care under fire' at incidents, although 'neutralising a threat' would remain their priority.
Sir John Saunders, chairman of the inquiry, has said officers stationed at the Arena on the night of the bombing, and those who arrived in the aftermath of the attack, acted with 'great courage and bravery' and 'did what they could' for the victims lying injured inside.
But he said evidence heard has shown many felt 'lacking' in being able to treat some of the devastating injuries caused by the explosion.
The developments follows evidence given to the inquiry by Brigadier Timothy Hodgetts, chair of trustees at the charity Citizen AID.
The charity has a 'focused mission' to prepare individuals, communities and organisations to help themselves and each other in the event of a 'deliberate' attack.
It offers first aid training and an array of other life-saving advice, techniques and equipment - with a downloadable app as a guide.
But Brigadier Hodgetts said there wasn't yet enough people who would know how to treat a serious 'blast or ballistic' injury after a terror attack.
He pointed to 'a shift in national consciousness' in terms of the use of defibrillators, but said: "We do not yet have an equivalent critical mass of people who will feel comfortable in being able to intervene when there is serious injury."
Mr Prior also said NARU supported the idea of 'ambulance liaison officers' being present at certain large-scale public events to co-ordinate the response to any attack and of firefighters 'having the same level of skill and training in life-saving techniques police will get'.
The Arena bombing after an Ariana Grande concert on May 22, 2017, claimed 22 lives.
A total of 63 people were seriously injured and 111 hospitalised.
The public inquiry continues on Monday.
