Dallas Officers Now Using 'Downed Operator' Kits For Shooting Calls

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - "It was so scary, I don't ever want to go through that again."  It wasn't a crime-- but, carelessness with a firearm that almost cost 24-year-old Lawrence Crosby his life.  "The doctor told me that if it wasn't for that tourniquet, then I wouldn't have even made it to Baylor."

On Monday, a handgun that Crosby was handling accidentally discharged-- striking him in the leg.

Fortunately for Crosby, the officer that responded to the shooting call was equipped with a 'DOK'.  No, not a doctor-- a 'Downed Operator Kit'.

Along with sterile gauze and a packet of a blood clotting agent, the kits contain an updated version of a tourniquet-- which an injured officer could even apply to himself using one hand.

Dr. Alex Eastman-- a Parkland trauma surgeon and Dallas Police Lieutenant-- says there is no doubt that the quick application of the tourniquet contained in the kit saved Crosby's life.

"When you have an injury to one of your major arteries," says Dr. Eastman, "you're just continuously losing blood.  And at some point, you're going to bleed, go into shock and die and with an injury to one of your major arteries that's going to happen well before you ever hit the hospital."

Lt. Mike Magiera at the Northwest Patrol Division has been pushing to get more lifesaving tools in the hands of officers when and where they need them-- on the streets.  "We're training our officers to keep their partner alive for 5-7 minutes until we can get EMS to them, or get them to EMS," says Lt. Magiera.

"We've got to be able to treat our officers until we can get them to appropriate medical facilities.  This simple kit is very easy to use... and with the kit, we can treat any gunshot wound or penetrating trauma to the body, any extremity, any part of the body."

A grant from the Hoblitzelle Foundation paid for the kits.  Right now, only vehicles responding to critical incidents are equipped with the kits.  But, Dr. Eastman would like to see the kits deployed department wide.

And to the well-equipped, well-trained officer who came to his aid, Lawrence Crosby would like to say:  "Thank you sir, for everything you done for me.  My son was just getting home from school after it happened.  He was just crying, and I just want to thank that officer for keeping me with him."