Other members administered CPR

 

Ironton City Councilman and Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Waldo is in intensive care at King’s Daughters Medical Center following his collapsing at a finance committee Thursday night.

At about 5:30 p.m. during the meeting Waldo became unresponsive, leaning forward in his chair.

“I just thought he was dozing off,” councilwoman Beth Rist, said later as she fought back her emotions.

Rist sits next to Waldo in the council chambers and tried to call his name and shake his arm to revive him.

Also at the meeting were council members Philip Heald, Aaron Bollinger and Dave Frazer, city finance director Kristen Martin, Lawrence County Commissioner Bill Pratt and Lonnie Best, director of Lawrence County 911.

Rist and Bollinger jumped from their seats to lay Waldo on the floor, the two calling Waldo’s name to get the man to respond. A call to 911 and the Ironton fire department was made immediately.

With the assistance of Best, Rist and Bollinger performed CPR, with Rist doing chest compressions and Bollinger performing mouth to mouth.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve had to do that,” Rist later said.

First responders from the Ironton Fire Department were on the scene within minutes and checked for Waldo’s heart rhythm. The responders had to use a defibrillator at least twice. Rist and Bollinger continued CPR and Best helped to clear Waldo’s airway with a suction device.

A crew from Lawrence County EMS also arrived on scene and continued to work on Waldo until he was transported to King’s Daughters Medical Center at about 6 p.m.

Waldo was still unconscious when he was transported, but Best said he was breathing on his own with assistance from an air bag.

Those on scene were visibly shaken, some with tears in their eyes.

“I’ve done CPR a hundred times, but never on a friend,” Bollinger, who is also a detective with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, said.

Officials from KDMC would not confirm Waldo’s medical status Friday morning.