ROCKWALL, TX (Feb. 4, 2026) — A woman in Rockwall, TX is alive today following a gunshot wound to the abdomen, after Rockwall County EMS crews deployed advanced hemorrhage control measures during a high-acuity emergency response.
On December 21, Rockwall County EMS units were dispatched to a reported domestic shooting. Upon patient contact, crews identified a gunshot wound to the abdomen resulting in hemorrhagic shock. The patient was pale, cool, clammy, and lethargic.
To control the bleeding and give her a chance of survival, paramedics quickly deployed the AAJT-S (Abdominal Aortic and Junctional Tourniquet – Stabilized), a next-generation hemorrhage control device manufactured by Compression Works. The abdominal tourniquet was applied and inflated at the umbilicus, providing rapid, effective, external aortic compression, occluding blood flow to the injured area, and preventing further blood loss.
Simultaneously, the team administered whole blood, another advanced option now carried by Rockwall EMS. With bleeding controlled and oxygen-carrying blood replenished, the woman regained a pulse and was stabilized for transport to Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, where she was rushed to surgery.
Following patient transfer, the responding medics were later informed that hospital clinicians continued to reference the case, emphasizing the severity of internal hemorrhage and vascular injury. EMS crews were told that the combination of hemorrhage control and blood administration in the field was viewed as the determining factor in the patient reaching the operating room alive.
“I can confidently say that without the application of the AAJT-S to control internal bleeding and the administration of blood products, this patient would not have made it to the hospital alive,” said Zack Pulejo, FP-C, Paramedic with Rockwall County EMS. “I’m grateful we had this device available, because there is nothing else we carry that could have given this patient a better chance.”
Scott Dodson, President and CEO of Compression Works, emphasized the device’s impact:
“We are thrilled to witness lives being saved due to the innovation behind the Abdominal Tourniquet. Texas currently leads the nation in the number of EMS agencies carrying the device, and we’re rapidly expanding across the U.S. Whether or not an agency carries whole blood, stopping the bleeding is always the most important first step in preventing death from hemorrhage. The AAJT-S stops bleeding within 60 seconds, allowing EMS teams to stabilize the patient and get them to definitive care—greatly increasing their chances of survival.”
Dodson, who is also a Rockwall County resident, has been instrumental in ensuring this life-saving technology is placed in the hands of first responders in his own community, with Rockwall EMS and the Rockwall County Sheriff’s Department now carrying the AAJT-S—making this particular case especially meaningful to him and to the team at Compression Works.
Originally developed for use in combat zones, the AAJT-S has been adopted by more than 250 EMS agencies across the U.S. and is now in use in 20 countries worldwide. The AAJT-S is FDA-cleared for four distinct application sites: abdomen (equivalent to Zone 3 REBOA), axilla, inguinal area, and for the immobilization of pelvic fractures. It is the only external device cleared for abdominal aortic compression at or near the bifurcation—providing a non-invasive alternative to Zone 3 REBOA without requiring surgical access or imaging.
Rockwall EMS was among the first agencies in Texas to carry the AAJT-S, and this recent incident highlights just how valuable the technology is in civilian trauma care.
In recognition of their decisive actions and life-saving care that day, Josh Farmer, Zack Pulejo, and Ryan Wagner of Rockwall County EMS will be formally honored by Compression Works during a recognition ceremony on February 16, 2026, where they’ll receive a limited-edition challenge coin commemorating the life saved. This acknowledgment reflects the critical role of the paramedics’ training, judgment, and decisive actions in cases where survival hinges on what is done in the first moments of care—honoring the save and the professionals who made it possible.
About Compression Works
Compression Works is the developer of the AAJT-S, the only FDA-cleared device for controlling junctional and pelvic hemorrhage in both military and civilian trauma settings. With a commitment to innovation and lifesaving impact, Compression Works equips first responders with the tools they need to combat the leading cause of preventable death in trauma: uncontrolled bleeding.
Press release and photo submitted by Jim Barto, Public Information Officer.
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