LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A Tuscarawas County 9-1-1 telecommunicator and a Lawrence Township deputy sheriff were honored after officials said their rapid response helped save an infant’s life.

According to Cleveland 19 News / WOIO, Tuscarawas County Sheriff Orvis Campbell presented life-saving awards and commendations to 9-1-1 telecommunicator Michelle Colvin and Lawrence Township Deputy Sheriff Adam Shaw.

The recognition followed an April 3 emergency call involving an unresponsive infant in cardiac arrest at a Lawrence Township apartment, the report said.

According to the report, Colvin walked a family member through CPR instructions over the phone. Shaw arrived at the scene from the dispatch call 56 seconds later and took over CPR, with off-duty Bolivar firefighter Gabriel Ash also helping at the scene.

After several rounds of CPR and oxygen, the infant survived and was transported to Aultman Hospital, according to the report.

Recognition for a fast, coordinated response

Sheriff Campbell said the employees acted heroically and that the community should be proud, according to WOIO. He also credited Lawrence Township’s commitment to additional law-enforcement coverage with helping ensure an unusually fast response.

ThinBlueNews is intentionally keeping identifying details about the child limited. The local report said the incident remains under investigation, so this story sticks to the public recognition, the dispatch-and-response timeline, and the lifesaving chain credited by officials.

For public-safety supporters, the story is a reminder that a life-saving response often begins before a responder reaches the door: a calm dispatcher giving instructions, a deputy close enough to arrive in seconds, and first responders working together until the child can be taken to the hospital.

Sources and attribution

  • Cleveland 19 News / WOIO reported the award, names, emergency timeline, Sheriff Campbell’s remarks, and the note that the incident remains under investigation.
  • The featured image is an original ThinBlueNews editorial graphic. It is not an infant, family, apartment, or incident photo.