On Tuesdays and Fridays, a team from Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh is at Jameson doing catheterizations and related procedures, a program that has been in place since 2004.

Almost immediately, Panella, a candidate for New Castle City Council, had a catheterization, an angioplasty and stents put into his heart, Cox said.

“I ran up over lunchtime,” he continued, “and by 12:30 he had already had that work done. He was in the hallway and on his way to the (intensive care unit.)”

Not only was Panella awake and talking, Cox noted, but he was talking shop.

He said Panella, who has been a lawyer for about 30 years, was telling his daughter to call his secretary and was outlining the typing and other work he wanted her to do.

“He’s going to be fine,” Cox said.

The judge — who admitted “it was a little nerve-wracking this morning” — said he was feeling better yesterday afternoon.

“It was scary,” Cox said, adding he was glad the incident had happened the way it had, and not when Panella was alone or somewhere he might not have gotten help as quickly as he did.

President Judge Dominick Motto, on a break from a case he was hearing yesterday, agreed.

“I’m gratified this happened somewhere he could get the attention and help he needed.”

Motto said he had been told the emergency personnel responded quickly. “I’m happy he had good attention to his medical needs.”