and in national news.......... Alameda California Emergency response FAIL

[Glocktogo]

That's a pretty unfair assessment. I'm sure you would blindly rush out there, punch the guy out and heroically drag him back to shore bare handed. All in a day's work. For the masses, I'm not buying what you're selling.

Sure, I care about that sick guy, but also I care about myself. I care about my family too. I care about my responsibility to take care of them over everything else. I'm not killing myself right along with him because somone might think I don't give a ****. Let 'em think what they will.

Seriously? SERIOUSLY??? 75 people and not one of them thought about just talking to the guy? You do know that one of the intervention methods for a possible suicide in a precarious location is to TALK TO HIM! News flash, it's not just for jumpers you know!

And if he's in 6 feet of water, you can get a damned boat to him. Did no one consider finding a damned boat and commandeering it? Let alone requesting assistance? Apparently there are no good samaritans in CA. And even beyond that, did they not have radios? Could they not contact one damned person in that miserable place that would make a humanity based decision and say "we can be sued or we can damage equipment or we can fail, but we're going to TRY!"??? WTF???

Your lame, sorry excuse for an explanation is pathetic. If any one of those 75 people, including the so called "first responders" on the scene had the balls and the heart to make something happen IN A WHOLE HOUR, it would have happened. I have nothing but disgust for all of them. Every one of them.

Apparently the "first responders" in CA have no guts or ingenuity and perhaps they should be redesgnated as "first observers".

 

[MoBoost]

Expecting a boat on a fire engine is ridicules.

Here in Stillwater each firehouse has a 14ft aluminum boat for rescues. You'd think that a city that is on the ocean would have something comparable.

I just got pawned!

 

[grizzly97]

Sooooo, when you say "help them" - what exactly do you mean - the only help this guy wanted was to drown quicker. You could also harpoon him, pay for the hospital bill, pay for the psychiatric evaluation, pay for a nice "home" to stay in till the next suicide attempt (you did say no matter the cost).

P.S. Congrats on 1k !!!

By "help them" I simply mean getting them out of imminent (spelling ?) danger. i.e. rescue. As for paying for everything, my broke ass can't help with that. lol.

Thanks for the congrats!

 

[348]

I guess I just don't understand the "do nothing cause I might get hurt or sued" mentality. Several times I have put myself in danger to help another human being when noone else would. I'm NOT a hero by any stretch, nor am I claiming to be one! I'm just of the belief that if I see someone in peril, I will do what I can to help them, no matter the cost. Because I sure as hell would hope to expect the same in return.

I don't disagree with you, but do you think you alone could have successfully brought him back alive? How long can you hold your breath under water in a struggle. Just remember this guy was not in this situation by accident. It was an extremely dangerous situation that an untrained person(s) should not attempt.

Two things would have happened; dude would have swam farther out with equal results, or he would have fought (possibly attempt to kill) his good willed rescuer(s) given his state of mind. Don't forget it was only 6 feet of water. If bro didn't want to die or had a change of heart, it would have been easy for him to come to shore on his own.

 

[KOPBET]

Seriously? SERIOUSLY??? 75 people and not one of them thought about just talking to the guy? You do know that one of the intervention methods for a possible suicide in a precarious location is to TALK TO HIM! News flash, it's not just for jumpers you know!

Too bad TSA Superman was not there to coordinate the rescue efforts. Nothing like Monday morning, eh?

 

[grizzly97]

I don't disagree with you, but do you think you alone could have successfully brought him back alive? How long can you hold your breath under water in a struggle. Just remember this guy was not in this situation by accident. It was an extremely dangerous situation that an untrained person(s) should not attempt.

Two things would have happened; dude would have swam farther out with equal results, or he would have fought (possibly attempt to kill) his good willed rescuer(s) given his state of mind. Don't forget it was only 6 feet of water. If bro didn't want to die or had a change of heart, it would have been easy for him to come to shore on his own.

Oh no doubt it could have ended poorly for a rescuer(s) or untrained people. If I were to swim out there, I'd start talking to the guy first to see if I could reason with him. This next part will sound cruel and f***** up, but if talking didn't work, let him get to the point of exhaustion (sp) to where he couldn't fight me off, and hopefully revive him on land. Or, take a boat, life vests, floatation devices, and some rope out there. Something, ya know.

 

[MoBoost]

Seriously? SERIOUSLY??? 75 people and not one of them thought about just talking to the guy? You do know that one of the intervention methods for a possible suicide in a precarious location is to TALK TO HIM! News flash, it's not just for jumpers you know!

And if he's in 6 feet of water, you can get a damned boat to him. Did no one consider finding a damned boat and commandeering it? Let alone requesting assistance? Apparently there are no good samaritans in CA. And even beyond that, did they not have radios? Could they not contact one damned person in that miserable place that would make a humanity based decision and say "we can be sued or we can damage equipment or we can fail, but we're going to TRY!"??? WTF???

Your lame, sorry excuse for an explanation is pathetic. If any one of those 75 people, including the so called "first responders" on the scene had the balls and the heart to make something happen IN A WHOLE HOUR, it would have happened. I have nothing but disgust for all of them. Every one of them.

Apparently the "first responders" in CA have no guts or ingenuity and perhaps they should be redesgnated as "first observers".

You are obviously very passionate about saving lives. And I respect and understand it.
What I don't understand what do you expect untrained people to do?
Ok, you strip to your tidy-whiteys, walk 100 yards and then what - pretend to be a suicide negotiator while swimming?
Ok, you got yourself a boat - row to the guy - then what? Hit him upside the head with an ore? Taze him? Harpoon? Lasso?

I understand a chopper rescue, I understand water rescue craft with ropes and floating jackets.

On the other hand - why do you think you got a high horse to comment on cops and firemen "balls" and "hearts"?

 

[Michael Brown]

News out of California never ceases to amaze me. I understand that the guy was attempting to commit suicide but how exactly does a bunch of Emergency response personnel sit back and watch because they have not received training in the given situation????

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/east_bay&id=8161285

Suicide is really the issue.

The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals (of which Oklahoma is a part) in Denver has stated in legal opinion that police and fire departments have no obligation to prevent "private violence" aka suicide.

They have gone so far as to say that if police/fire attempt to intervene, they become responsible for the outcome.

I'm not sure how you expect someone to risk their life to help someone who doesn't want the help and tell them that they're now responsible for another person's actions.

It has completely changed how we (TPD) respond to suicidal persons calls and you can expect this story to repeat itself in the future.

 

[HMFIC]

I just would hope that something could have been done... it seems awfully callous to have not attempted anything.

To Michael's post, I'm sure that LEO and 1st Responders do want to do things, but it's a shame that what seems to be litigation and protocol issues prohibit it.

 

[348]

Oh no doubt it could have ended poorly for a recuer(s) or untrained people. If I were to swim out there, I'd start talking to the guy first to see if I could reason with him. This next part will sound cruel and f***** up, but if talking didn't work, let him get to the point of exhaustion (sp) to where he couldn't fight me off, and hopefully revive him on land. Or, take a boat, life vests, floatation devices, and some rope out there. Something, ya know.

Nothing cruel or f ****ed up about that. Out there by yourself with a guy intent on a watery grave that would have probably been the most logical option. Let him take the fight out of himself then drag him back.