RESPONDING TO JUMPER INCIDENTS
BY THOMAS M. LANGONE
It is 2300 hours, and your department is dispatched to an “attempted suicide” at an area hotel. Dispatch informs you that a male is threatening to jump from a fifth-floor window. On arrival, you find that a man has broken out the plate glass windows of his room. He now dangles precariously from the window by one arm, bleeding profusely, shouting and acting highly irrationally. In addition, he is wielding a large shard of glass and alternately menaces your crew and cuts his wrists and neck. How will you handle this emergency?
Rope rescue in its various forms receives a lot of press. Topics such as high-angle rescue, hauling systems, and confined-space techniques are covered in depth. One area concerning rope rescue that has received little attention but involves significant risks to all involved is the rescue of people attempting suicide by leaping from heights–commonly referred to as jumpers.
TEAM READINESS/TRAINING
The successful mitigation of jumper incidents requires a team that has a solid background in technical rope rescue as well as in psychological intervention techniques. One of the greatest challenges you will face at a jumper incident is how to safely approach and begin a dialogue with the jumper. Unlike the victim you may have dealt with in a rope rescue setting, the emotionally disturbed jumper may not want to be saved. You and your team often will be perceived as a threat, and the jumper may not be concerned about taking you with him on his plunge.
For this reason, your team should have some form of instruction in crisis intervention training. The New York City Police Department`s Emergency Services Unit has successfully handled numerous jumper incidents such as the one mentioned at the beginning of this article. With approximately 880 confirmed jumper incidents each year, there are probably few agencies that have as much practical experience in this area.1
Each police officer in the unit receives training as an emergency psychological technician as well as in high-angle rescue. This psychological training consists of a 40-hour program run by the New York City Department of Health and John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Course content includes recognition of various mental disorders, negotiating skills, and “talk-down” techniques. Numerous role-playing sessions are conducted utilizing professional actors, and each officer must participate in the exercise. Performance is evaluated by the instructors as well as the other participants. Police hostage negotiators also are required to attend.
If your department is interested in obtaining training in crisis-intervention techniques, a number of resources are available. Public mental health agencies, universities, teaching hospitals, and police hostage negotiators are just some of the sources that may be willing to assist your team in this preparation.
To keep your team ready to handle jumper incidents, training is important. It can be as simple as a tabletop discussion that critiques past incidents, or it may involve a practical exercise at a local site such as a bridge or building rooftop. In this way, team members may be able to partially preplan a response. Questions regarding access to the site, equipment needs, the availability of anchor points, and so on can be discussed and worked out.
Certainly, it is unlikely that you will be able to preplan every potential jumper location; however, practical exercises promote safety, build team confidence, and help maintain a state of readiness.
RESPONSE
When responding to a report of a jumper incident, try to obtain as much information as possible while en route. By ascertaining the jumper`s exact location, you may wish to use an alternate route to the scene to avoid agitating the jumper. When approaching the scene, turn off all lights and sirens, since they can excite the jumper. Do not park apparatus or walk below the jumper`s location.
Size-up. Size-up actually begins at the readiness step–where safety, training, and preplanning are addressed–and continues throughout the incident. On arrival, the team leader should obtain as much information as possible. A good pair of binoculars will aid in size-up. Size-up includes a number of factors, such as the following:
What type of structure is involved–i.e., rooftop, bridge, water tower, etc?
Do you have access to the site?
Have you had prior incidents at the site?
Is someone present who can identify the jumper? If so, what information can be provided?
If the jumper`s identity is known, does the person have a history of mental illness or drug or alcohol abuse? Does the person currently take any medications or have a history of violence?
Is the jumper armed? Jumpers have been known to be armed with guns, knives, and other weapons. The safety of the team is paramount. An unarmed rescuer should never approach an armed jumper. Team leaders should stage their teams in a safe location and request the response of the appropriate law enforcement agency. Police tactical teams usually have the training and equipment to deal with armed individuals and are trained in various rope techniques.
As part of the size-up, the team leader also must assess whether any additional resources are necessary, such as the following:
Additional rope rescue teams may be necessary to back up the original team, assist with rigging, aid in isolating the jumper, or relieve fatigued personnel.
Law enforcement personnel must establish a perimeter and allow access only to essential personnel. They may have to control or reroute vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic. Since jumper incidents tend to draw many spectators, crowd control will be important. The media also must be effectively managed, and a location that will not interfere with rescue operations must be designated for them. Some jumpers become excited at the sight of camera crews; others may “play” to the cameras, enjoying the fact that they are the center of attention. Either way, the rescue team may have a more difficult time communicating with the jumper.
An ambulance should be standing by at the scene, ready to render aid to the jumper or any team member who becomes injured. Once the jumper is taken into custody, the ambulance can be used to quickly transport him/her to the hospital.
If the incident takes place over a body of water, a rescue boat and scuba team should be on-scene. They can be quickly deployed to recover the jumper and/or any rescuer who inadvertently falls, if necessary.
If the jumper is located on or over a rail facility, train traffic must be halted and electrical power must be shut off. Similarly, if the jumper has climbed a utility pole or tower, the power must be shut down by a qualified utility company worker before any rescue operation is initiated.
Strategy and tactics. Strategy and tactics employed at a jumper incident depend largely on various factors encountered. The strategy is subject to change as the situation progresses and should take into account all size-up factors. Generally speaking, a strategy of “isolation and containment” of the jumper should be used initially. This method usually involves isolating or containing the jumper to a specific location by having rescuers block off avenues of escape the jumper would likely take as rescuers approach. Do not count on the jumper to remain in one place as rescuers approach–if he does not jump, he may evade rescuers.
I have been involved in incidents where jumpers have fled over bridge steelwork and support cables. Additional personnel were required before isolation and containment were accomplished.
Isolation and containment may be carried out simultaneously while other team members approach and keep the attention of the jumper.
Team positions. To implement the strategy and tactics needed to control the incident, team members must understand which functions they must perform. The location of the incident, the size of the rescue team, and a host of other factors influence what specific functions each member will perform. There are, however, a few key positions that must be filled at each incident.
–The rescue team leader is responsible for the rescue team. On arrival, he will report to the incident commander for a briefing. While the IC is responsible for the overall incident, the rescue team leader is ultimately responsible for developing the strategy and tactics that will be employed. The safety of the team must be the rescue team leader`s top priority. He must ensure that each member is properly outfitted with the appropriate personal protective equipment and that each understands his role in the rescue.
The rescue team leader should select a position that allows a good overall view of the scene. He should not engage in any tactical operations such as rigging or belaying–those who do are not in a position to effectively manage the team. In addition, the team leader should establish and maintain communications with the backup rescuer(s).
–The lead rescuer has the responsibility of communicating with the jumper. He will be the first rescuer to carefully approach the jumper. The lead rescuer and all team members should be outfitted with personal protective equipment–gloves, helmet, footwear, and either an approved class II seat harness (at minimum) or a class III full body harness.
The lead rescuer and all rescuers in need of fall protection should be attached to a rescue-rated lifeline.2 Whether to deploy static or dynamic lifelines or what type of belay system should be used depends largely on team preference and experience and is beyond the scope of this article. The lifeline should be rigged to some type of belay device or system, securely anchored, and under the control of a team member acting as a belayer.3 The use of an additional lifeline, secured to the lead rescuer to act as a safety belay (double-rope technique), is optional. Factors influencing its use include the availability of secondary anchors, the potential for rope entanglement, and the availability of an additional rescuer to serve as a belayer.4
When approaching the jumper, the lead rescuer should project a calm, caring demeanor and speak in a controlled tone. Although additional team members may be present, it is usually the lead rescuer`s responsibility to communicate with the jumper. When multiple rescuers attempt to talk to the jumper, the scene can rapidly escalate into a shouting match, which can easily antagonize the jumper.
The ultimate goal of the lead rescuer is to successfully negotiate the jumper down to a safe location. Failing that, the lead rescuer should attempt to maneuver into a position that will allow him to grab the jumper. This is where crisis intervention training, good interpersonal skills, and experience come together.
Many jumper incidents have been successfully ended by skilled rescuers who were able to inch closer to the jumper while maintaining a dialogue. At the opportune moment, the lead rescuer was able to grab the jumper; backup rescuers, in close proximity and properly secured, assisted the lead rescuer in pulling the jumper to safety. It must be stressed, however, that physically grabbing a jumper should be done as a last resort, used only when talk-down techniques have failed.
Given that each jumper incident is different, training and experience must serve as a guide for successful results.
–The backup rescuer is usually positioned near the lead rescuer. The exact location depends largely on the specific circumstances. The role of the backup rescuer is to maintain communications with the rescue team leader. The lead rescuer, busy talking with the jumper, obviously cannot keep the team leader updated; therefore, this task must be undertaken by the backup rescuer. He carefully monitors the conversation between the lead rescuer and jumper and reports any progress in communications.
Frequently, a jumper will ask to speak to a specific person such as a spouse, family member, or friend. The backup rescuer must relay this request to the rescue team leader. Often the rescue team leader will ask the backup rescuer to assess such a request. The backup rescuer, while monitoring the conversation between the lead rescuer and the jumper, may have concluded that part of the reason the jumper is attempting suicide is problems with a particular relative or friend. Therefore, it may be detrimental to allow the friend/relative to speak with the jumper. The jumper, in an effort to punish the relative, may leap once the relative is brought to the scene. On the other hand, spouses, relatives, or friends may be instrumental in bringing the incident to a successful conclusion. In either case, the decision to use a spouse or any other person rests with the rescue team leader. It should be done only after carefully interviewing the individual and communicating with the backup rescuer.
The second role of the backup rescuer is to support the lead rescuer. The lead rescuer may notify the backup rescuer that he will be attempting to grab the jumper. The backup rescuer must then be prepared to assist the lead rescuer in physically subduing the jumper.
–Depending on the location and circumstances encountered, additional rescuers may be necessary to isolate and contain the jumper. They should have proper personal protective equipment and be secured with some form of fall protection. They may be designated simply as rescuer #3, rescuer #4, and so on; or, if working in teams, they may be designated according to their functions(s)–i.e., containment team #1, containment team #2, belayer #1, belayer #2, and so on.
–Safety is the duty of all rescuers, no matter what their assignments are. A good rescue team pays attention to detail and double checks all rigging and equipment by sight and touch.5 However, as soon as sufficient personnel are present, the rescue team leader should designate one member to serve as a safety officer, or provisions should be made to have one as soon as possible. The safety officer`s function is to monitor the incident scene for safety violations and dangerous conditions. He must select a position that allows facilitation of identified tasks. As with the rescue team leader, the safety officer should not become involved with specific tactical operations; rather, he must remain vigilant to perform his job effectively. If a separate safety officer has not been designated, then this function remains the responsibility of the incident commander.
Obviously, there is no single way to approach every jumper, just as there are no magic phrases that will safely end every jumper incident. Team members should understand that, despite their efforts, some jumpers will jump. Rescue team leaders may wish to have the team receive critical incident stress debriefing in such a case.
By obtaining training in crisis intervention, holding practical sessions, and drilling on team assignments, your team can significantly improve its performance in response to jumper incidents. n
References
1. New York City Police Department Response Statistics, 1994.
2. National Fire Protection Association, Standards 1983-1990.
3. Vines, Tom and Steve Hudson, High Angle Rope Rescue, “Belaying,” 1992, pp. 77-78.
4. Frank, James A. and Jerrold B. Smith, Rope Rescue Manual, “Safety,” 1987, p. 10.
5. Roco Corporation, Rescue II & III Study Guide, 1991, p. ii.
THOMAS M. LANGONE is a New York State-certified fire instructor and second deputy chief instructor at the Nassau County Fire Service Academy in Bethpage, New York. He is an 11-year veteran of the New York City Police Department assigned to the Emergency Services Unit and a training officer and ex-chief of the Roslyn (NY) Rescue Fire Company. Langone is a New York State-certified emergency medical technician-critical care and a clinical EMS lab instructor and is certified in a variety of rescue-related subjects.
