Alderman want CPD officers to carry special gauze to help gunshot victims

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Two Chicago aldermen want to issue all CPD officers medical kits with a special gauze that could stop a bleeding gunshot wound.

Alds. Ed Burke (14th Ward) and Patrick Thompson (11th Ward) said Wednesday they will introduce a resolution later this month. The gauze could save lives, they said.

The special gauze is often used in military combat, which is where one Chicago police officer learned its value.

Officer Alejandro Cabral, a former Army medic, purchased his own gauze, which he used to save a gunshot victim recently.

"He applied pressure with the pressure gauze. It wasn't working. And that's when we applied the quick-clot and that's when the bleeding stopped," Officer Juan Zuniga said.

"This allowed us to at least stop the bleeding and give somebody a better chance," said Cabral.

The gauze costs about $47 per roll.

"I'm hopeful that perhaps through the Office of Emergency Management, there can be federal funds," Burke said.

Burke said officers in other cities issue the gauze to their officers.

Doctors at Stroger Hospital, which sees hundreds of gunshot victims every year, said it's still undetermined whether the gauze works.

"The question here is what works in the field. And while the evidence supporting this is weak, it might help out," said Dr. Faran Bukhari, of Stroger Hospital.