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Galway suicide watch to be launched in the city

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    #32
    antoobrien
    Registered Users Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭antoobrien


    Mrs OBumble wrote: »
    Or maybe they took on board feedback from organisations with expertise in the area that concept they proposed had some serious flaws to start with.

    Could be, but there's been utter radio silence since May. Take that to mean what you will.


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    #33
    Long Gone
    Registered Users Posts: 771 ✭✭✭Long Gone


    It was just an absolutely stupid idea - Yes there is a problem, but setting up a so-called "suicide watch" in Galway is completely pointless and will have no effect whatsoever on the suicide rate.


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    #34
    MargeS
    Registered Users Posts: 1,002 ✭✭✭MargeS


    Well I know someone who made an attempt recently but someone on patrol had noticed them and kept an eye on them. As a result when they jumped the person on patrol called the emergency services and they were pulled out before reaching open water.
    I realise that a passer by may have done the same thing but if there is some one specifically looking for jumpers it might prevent some suicides.


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    #35
    Long Gone
    Registered Users Posts: 771 ✭✭✭Long Gone


    MargeS wrote: »
    Well I know someone who made an attempt recently but someone on patrol had noticed them and kept an eye on them. As a result when they jumped the person on patrol called the emergency services and they were pulled out before reaching open water.
    I realise that a passer by may have done the same thing but if there is some one specifically looking for jumpers it might prevent some suicides.

    Link to the alleged incident ? - Where is this meant to have occurred ? - I follow local news very closely and I am totally unaware of this alleged incident having taken place in Galway City..... I am also very sceptical that the response times of the emergency services (who do their best as we know) would be adequate for the situation described.

    If some people want to carry out "suicide patrols" (and have the spare time on their hands to do it....) good luck to them... In the unlikely event that this prevents a suicide, great.

    However, as I've already stated I am very far from convinced that it will make any difference whatsoever - If anything it is a distraction from the real problem.


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    #36
    sgthighway
    Registered Users Posts: 1,540 ✭✭✭sgthighway


    Long Gone wrote: »
    I am also very sceptical that the response times of the emergency services (who do their best as we know) would be adequate for the situation described.
    Galway Fire Service have been doing a lot of training for their Swift Water Rescue Training and are quick on scene. Not everything gets to the news. Galway has very poor media. Normally they rely on each other for the news. If one doesn't report it the rest won't know about it.
    Agreed it doesn't address the real issue but it is no harm.


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    #37
    WhiteWalls
    Registered Users Posts: 945 ✭✭✭WhiteWalls


    Did this ever materialise, ie, suicide watch in Galway?


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    #38
    ciano1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,140 ✭✭✭ciano1


    WhiteWalls wrote: »
    Did this ever materialise, ie, suicide watch in Galway?

    Yes
    https://www.facebook.com/galwaywaterwayspatrol/?fref=ts


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    #39
    Discodog
    Registered Users Posts: 15,898 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    Calling it a waterways patrol is a very good idea. During the summer hundreds of people congregate at Spanish Arch. People can just as easily end up in the water by accident. The patrols can also check that the life buoys are in place.
    The ideal would be cctv as the river access is so long.


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    #40
    2rkehij30qtza5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,476 ✭✭✭2rkehij30qtza5


    Could the group petition the City Council to install adequate barriers particularly around the canal. Not all people, particularly young men who are found in the river and canals, commit suicide. Some fall in accidentally after a night of heavy drinking.

    ETA: when I was in college a friend of mine fell into the river while trying to go to the toilet into the water...had s few drinks on board. Luckily he was rescued as he managed to cling on to some vegetation at the edge of the river. It's a serious risk


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    #41
    snubbleste
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 31,117 ✭✭✭✭snubbleste


    Zeke Freezing Koala wrote: »
    Could the group petition the City Council to install adequate barriers particularly around the canal. Not all people, particularly young men who are found in the river and canals, commit suicide. Some fall in accidentally after a night of heavy drinking.
    ETA: when I was in college a friend of mine fell into the river while trying to go to the toilet into the water...had s few drinks on board. Luckily he was rescued as he managed to cling on to some vegetation at the edge of the river. It's a serious risk
    The issue there is self-inflicted alcohol poisoning


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    #42
    2rkehij30qtza5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,476 ✭✭✭2rkehij30qtza5


    snubbleste wrote: »
    The issue there is self-inflicted alcohol poisoning
    With two large colleges in Galway, drunkeness or 'alcohol poisoning' as you put it, is inevitable. Students and indeed others who like to go out and enjoy themselves can invariably drink too much. When their inhibitions are down, they might see the canals or rivers as good places to relieve themselves. Not saying it's a right thing to do but it happens...every night of the week. The issue is that there are zero barriers around much of the canals and people have fallen in as a direct result of that. Curbing drinking is one element but that's not a short or even medium term solution. Erecting some kind of aesthetically pleasing fencing would most certainly reduce the number of accidental drownings, of which there are many.


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    #43
    ben.schlomo
    Registered Users Posts: 12,147 ✭✭✭✭ben.schlomo


    Zeke Freezing Koala wrote: »
    With two large colleges in Galway, drunkeness or 'alcohol poisoning' as you put it, is inevitable. Students and indeed others who like to go out and enjoy themselves can invariably drink too much. When their inhibitions are down, they might see the canals or rivers as good places to relieve themselves. Not saying it's a right thing to do but it happens...every night of the week. The issue is that there are zero barriers around much of the canals and people have fallen in as a direct result of that. Curbing drinking is one element but that's not a short or even medium term solution. Erecting some kind of aesthetically pleasing fencing would most certainly reduce the number of accidental drownings, of which there are many.

    What percentage of the student population are falling into the river/canal on a regular basis to justify barriers being put in place.


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    #44
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,220 ✭✭✭✭biko


    ciano1 wrote: »
    Yes
    https://www.facebook.com/galwaywaterwayspatrol/?fref=ts
    Excellent, all the best to them!


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    #45
    gordongekko
    Registered Users Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭gordongekko


    ben.schlomo wrote: »
    What percentage of the student population are falling into the river/canal on a regular basis to justify barriers being put in place.

    Saving just one life would make it justifiable. Why how many do you think need to fall into it before barriers should be put in place?


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    #46
    ben.schlomo
    Registered Users Posts: 12,147 ✭✭✭✭ben.schlomo


    gordongekko wrote: »
    Saving just one life would make it justifiable. Why how many do you think need to fall into it before barriers should be put in place?

    If, if, if. Why not just cover them all completely and then while we are at it put a window in front of the beaches and along the Prom, that should help too.The crux of the issue is the attitude towards and volume of alcohol consumed. Until their is some form of radical change in those then barriers etc will be of little to no use.


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    #47
    gctest50
    Registered Users Posts: 9,605 ✭✭✭gctest50


    Why not install retractable toilets and bring the place into the 19th century at least












    HWb1fka.png


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    #48
    gordongekko
    Registered Users Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭gordongekko


    ben.schlomo wrote: »
    If, if, if. Why not just cover them all completely and then while we are at it put a window in front of the beaches and along the Prom, that should help too.The crux of the issue is the attitude towards and volume of alcohol consumed. Until their is some form of radical change in those then barriers etc will be of little to no use.

    Well thats not true. A barrier by its nature will stop someone falling into the canal.


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    #49
    LoonyLovegood
    Registered Users Posts: 6,068 ✭✭✭LoonyLovegood


    I've nearly fallen in without drink on me, it's only I fell at the right place to end up with a nasty bruise all up my middle from the current fence thing.


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    #50
    Discodog
    Registered Users Posts: 15,898 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    Proper railings/barriers will go up but only after a tragedy. That's how it works here.


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    #51
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,952 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    ben.schlomo wrote: »
    If, if, if. Why not just cover them all completely and then while we are at it put a window in front of the beaches and along the Prom, that should help too.The crux of the issue is the attitude towards and volume of alcohol consumed. Until their is some form of radical change in those then barriers etc will be of little to no use.

    Ahh, barriers on the edge of a sheer drop into a fast moving river are a vastly different thing to barriers across a beachfront. Barriers won't stop the truly determined. But they will stop accidents - and some accidents do happen.

    Agree that we also need better psychiatric services, a mindset change towards alcohol and drug use. And toilet-training for that matter: pissing in the street or in the canal is simply not OK.

    But we also need barriers which are sympathetic to the visual environment, and effective.


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    #52
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 24,714 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Railings/barriers etc encourage people to sit on them so could actually mean more people falling in rather than less.

    I'd imagine the number of people who have fallen in over the years is tiny really, unfortunately it's intentional almost if not 100% of the time.


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    #53
    Bobeagleburger
    Registered Users Posts: 45,481 ✭✭✭✭Bobeagleburger


    Great idea to stop accidents but I doubt it'd stop suicides.


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    #54
    tenacious-me
    Registered Users Posts: 152 ✭✭tenacious-me


    Stephen Aggressive Hearse wrote: »
    I'd imagine the number of people who have fallen in over the years is tiny really, unfortunately it's intentional almost if not 100% of the time.

    There aren't exactly stats available on accidents vs. intentional but hopefully the powers that be would use more than hearsay in deciding whether to put up barriers are not.

    IMO stopping even one accidental death is surely worth it, and I'd imagine there's a far cry from 100% of these deaths being intentional.


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    #55
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    gctest50 wrote: »
    Why not install retractable toilets and bring the place into the 19th century at least












    HWb1fka.png

    I'd be so put off if there were random dudes stood outside taking pictures of me leaving and exiting a jax.


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    #56
    RoscommonTom
    Registered Users Posts: 918 ✭✭✭RoscommonTom


    IF It saves the life of one young fella isn't it worth it


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    #57
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,952 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    Stephen Aggressive Hearse wrote: »
    Railings/barriers etc encourage people to sit on them so could actually mean more people falling in rather than less.

    I'd imagine the number of people who have fallen in over the years is tiny really, unfortunately it's intentional almost if not 100% of the time.

    Not if they're designed to stop sitting - ie leaning inwards.

    Also I can assure you it's not 100% intentional. Can name one lad who went in after he was on a bender. And we all heard about the taxi-man who ran away from the guards.


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