“Suicide in Progress”: Response Strategies

但消防员越来越常见nd to incidents involving “jumpers” and other self-threatening emergencies. The subjects involved in these calls may be located in hard-to-reach places like bridges, high towers, and rooftops of high-rise buildings, which present serious dangers for responders, the public, as well as the subject, who is threatening harm in the worst cases. He may have a hostage-often one of his own children or some other innocent person-who is also in danger. These high-drama events draw media and public attention, and the gathering crowds sometimes create a spectacle, which further complicates the responders’ job. These emergencies can stretch into hours as the subject weighs options and as professional crisis negotiators or the first-arriving firefighters, law enforcement officers, or EMS providers attempt to sway him toward a positive outcome.

Responders face serious challenges in these situations, because initially they do not know what the subject is planning or is capable of doing. When the subject is in a hard-to-reach place, it is difficult to establish and maintain communications and initiate safety precautions and operational plans. The subject may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol (or both), neglecting to take prescribed medications, or chronically depressed. In some cases, the subject may have suffered an acute loss or may have taken the life of another person and has decided to end it all by provoking responders into a reaction that will help to push him over the proverbial edge. He may suddenly produce a weapon, forcing law enforcement to eliminate the threat (this is sometimes referred to as “suicide by cop”; it obviously happens with sufficient frequency to have a recognizable name).

The outcomes of these types of situations are uncertain and difficult to determine, but responders’ actions can affect the result. If you are called to such an incident, secure the scene and reduce the number of distractions (i.e., crowds, traffic, news media helicopters, for example) to help stabilize the situation until trained crisis negotiators arrive. Continually look for any cues that may indicate that the subject is about to take a deadly action. Some finesse and an accurate evaluation of the scene are important here.