A local man suffered cardiac arrest during a Williams town hall Wednesday evening, prompting firefighters attending the meeting to begin CPR while a library supervisor secured a nearby defibrillator. The man was breathing and speaking when ambulance personnel arrived, according to Josephine Community Library Williams Branch Supervisor Amber Guient.
The October 14 emergency interrupted public comment at the Williams Grange, where residents had gathered to discuss the Williams Fire Department levy. Fire Chief Chris Wolfard administered treatment with an automated external defibrillator from the Williams branch library and credited the device with saving the man’s life.
The town hall was hosted by the Williams Citizens Advisory Committee and Community Council at the Grange, 20100 Williams Highway. A discussion of local fire services was underway when the man collapsed, bringing the meeting to a halt as firefighters immediately began efforts to resuscitate him…