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New Paltz, NY – The topic of suicide is often an uncomfortable one to talk about, and can often lead to unanswerable questions. However, service providers, and even law enforcement, are finding ways to adapt and deal with the delicate subject. WAMC's Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Greg Fry reports...
Michael Cerone is the Chief of the Irvington Police Department in Westchester County, New York. In late March, Cerone and two officers responded to a call made by a passer-by in an isolated area. What police found was a victim of chemical suicide inside a vehicle. Cerone explains that emergency responders needed to use a robot to take pictures and ventilate the car before they could get to the scene.
Many of the experts contacted for this story cautioned that detailed accounts of suicide cases can contribute to copycat suicides. In fact, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention cites research that shows graphic, sensationalized, or romanticized descriptions of suicide deaths in the news can lead to those copycat actions.
However, this type of suicide has gotten the attention of emergency officials. Cerone says they've received training notices on this type of suicide, and he's given information to his officers regarding precautions to take. A 2010 report from the Regional Organized Crime Information Center details the latest techniques to use when responding to a suicide where chemicals are present.
Last June, an advisory was sent out by the State Fire Marshal in Massachusetts, warning first responders of the serious nature of chemical suicides. That document refers to the roots of chemical suicide in Japan, and cases in New York and Massachusetts.
In the Hudson Valley, concerns regarding suicide have the attention of Doctor James McGuirk, the Executive Director of Astor Services for Families and Children, a non-profit that provides everything from mental health services to childhood development programs. He references the struggles facing teenagers, and numbers that show that 1 in 14 kids have made a suicide attempt requiring medical attention.
McGuirk, however, says that while new ways to commit suicide may pop up, a loaded weapon still remains the most common way for a teen to attempt the act.
Meanwhile, first responders like Irvington Police Chief Michael Cerone, continue to try and stay prepared for anything .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 34-thousand suicides were committed in the U.S. in 2007.