Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen coughs and takes a long pause during a speech at the University of Massachusetts, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015, in Amherst, Mass. The Federal Reserve says Yellen felt dehydrated at the end of the speech and was seen by medical personnel as a precaution. Yellen was delivering a 23-page speech on inflation when toward the end of the speech, she paused for a period of time, giving the appearance of losing her place in the text. She then resumed speaking, saying she wanted to wrap up. She was helped from the stage. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Fed says Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen was seen by medical personnel as a precaution after she "felt dehydrated at the end of a long speech under bright lights" in Massachusetts.
The Fed adds that the 69-year-old Yellen "felt fine afterward" and resumed her schedule Thursday.
Yellen was delivering a 23-page speech on inflation at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Toward the end of her speech, she paused for a period of several seconds, staring down at her text.
She then resumed speaking and concluded reading her prepared text. As the audience applauded, the moderator came up and asked, "Are you OK?"
He put his hand under her arm and she stepped away from the podium. She was then presented a plaque from officials and walked off the stage to further applause.
The Fed said in a statement that "as a precaution, she was seen by (emergency) staff on-site."
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This story has been corrected to reflect that Yellen walked off the stage and was not helped off the stage.
Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen takes a long pause during a speech at the University of Massachusetts, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015, in Amherst, Mass. The Federal Reserve says Yellen felt dehydrated at the end of the speech and was seen by medical personnel as a precaution. Yellen was delivering a 23-page speech on inflation when toward the end of the speech, she paused for a period of time, giving the appearance of losing her place in the text. She then resumed speaking, saying she wanted to wrap up. She was helped from the stage. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
The Associated Press