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High Element/Suicide/Jumper Rescue Training
Hi folks. I am a crisis negotiation trainer and train about 900 police officers a year nationwide. A continuing problem are the number of folks who attempt suicide by climbing bridges, cell towers, overpasses, etc. Naturally, they place all responders at risk and further complicate the issue by being under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
We are expanding negotiation doctrine to include better guidelines for working with rescue personnel. Sometimes I think we (police) expect too much from rescue personnel by asking them to make rescue attempts that are not risk effective. I also think there are times we don't set clear objectives about what we are trying to accomplish together.
I need help developing training points and objectives so police can better understand our collaborative efforts with rescue personnel. What do we need to know about your job when it comes to high element rescue? What can we expect in terms of realistic rescue capabilities? What problems have you had in the past working a rescue from a bridge/overpass/tower/etc? Are fear of heights for responders an issue? Do you guys/gals experience what we call the "Rescue Dynamic" where you take an instintive unnecessary risk when trying to "save" someone?
Any ideas, thoughts, resources would be quite welcome.
Thanks for your help and all you do in support of your communities.
Deb
We are expanding negotiation doctrine to include better guidelines for working with rescue personnel. Sometimes I think we (police) expect too much from rescue personnel by asking them to make rescue attempts that are not risk effective. I also think there are times we don't set clear objectives about what we are trying to accomplish together.
I need help developing training points and objectives so police can better understand our collaborative efforts with rescue personnel. What do we need to know about your job when it comes to high element rescue? What can we expect in terms of realistic rescue capabilities? What problems have you had in the past working a rescue from a bridge/overpass/tower/etc? Are fear of heights for responders an issue? Do you guys/gals experience what we call the "Rescue Dynamic" where you take an instintive unnecessary risk when trying to "save" someone?
Any ideas, thoughts, resources would be quite welcome.
Thanks for your help and all you do in support of your communities.
Deb
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by lutan1 on
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Do you guys/gals experience what we call the "Rescue Dynamic" where you take an instintive unnecessary risk when trying to "save" someone?
I've never heard that title, but I think many take uncalculated risks for that maybe/possible save. Unfortunatley, many also carry that over when trying to save property- lives, yes, within reason. Property- no way!
Going back to your other questions:
I teach high voltage tower rescue and rope rescue, etc. I think many other responders fail to realise how time consuming and equipment intensive this sort of rescue can be. It can take a lot of people and a lot of equipment to perform rescue from any rescue from heights. Then add in the comabtive or uncooperative person, and you've got a whole other issue to deal with....
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Permalink Reply by Deborah McMahon on
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Are you restricted from making a rescue attempt if the subject is non-compliant?
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Permalink Reply by Rescue601 on
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Rescue capacities vary from department to department and person to person. You are asking questions that would be very specific to the departments/organizations that are called out. In my opinion it wouldn't be safe to attempt to rescue someone from a tower or similar structure. It is dangerous enough as it is and the last thing I need is an uncooperative individual who may attempt to kill me in a final attempt to kill himself.
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Rescue capacities vary from department to department and person to person. You are asking questions that would be very specific to the departments/organizations that are called out.
Good point- didn't think of that!
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To understand that, read the discussion "Who Would You Save First?"
My safety first- always! Then my partner/crew. Then the casualty.
I'm not risking my life (or the crews) if there's a chance the person is going to go out of their way tro harm us while trying to harm themselves.
Generally here in Australia, the rescue of suiciders is done by Police SAR. They're far better trained (being police) in handling the type of person and these types of incidents. It's highly unlikely (but not unheard of) where FF's, etc would be used here. Even the Police SAR team have access and training to weapons, sprays, etc if needed.
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Even aside from departmental differences, there must be some generally accepted practices for responding to a jumper? For instance, if fire and rescue get there before police...would you attempt to talk this guy down? If there was a man on a ledge, holding a baby, would you attempt to become involved in a combative rescue? If a police officer asked you to put apparatus under an overpass to shorten a fall, would you do it? I know these sound like silly questions, but we find ourselves doing crazy things in a crisis. Next thing you know we have generated footage for another episode of "America's Craziest Rescues." Do any of you ever train with police for these types of responses?
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Perhaps if we had someone trained in crisis intervention then they may try to make contact with them. I highly doubt I would get involved in what you refer to as a combative rescue. Additionally our apparatus isn't any softer than the ground and thus would be pointless to try to shorten the fall.
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Well sometimes we get the bright ideas that two short falls might be better than one big one. The point is....if we asked you to do it (smart or not) would you do it?
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