Suicide watch guys

banjobongo

I was in town late and walking over Sarsfield Bridge with some mates after a night out and noticed these guys dressed in hi-vis suits. They were on suicide watch. I have heard about these guys before but never saw them before. So I was in the pub having a great time and these guys are out in the cold dark night, unpaid, looking for the poor people who are thinking of ending it all.
I was so impressed with these guys, what dedication, what spirit, what committment to do it night after night. Well done guys, ye are heros!

zulutango

I have to say these guys and girls deserve a lot of credit for what they do. It's no easy task to patrol the river late at night in all kinds of weather and the cause is very admirable.

However, I wonder about the effectiveness of the patrols. If anybody truly wishes to end their days by throwing themselves into the river, surely they'd avoid the patrols easily enough. It's a big river with a long stretch of river bank that can't possibly be effectively patrolled. You could argue that if they save one person, or just make somebody think twice then their presence is worth it, of course. There's also the issue of hysteria surrounding the issue of suicide and the Shannon River in Limerick. It happens, we know, but whatever measures we take should be well-considered and based on evidence. Obviously it's a very sensitive issue so I hope this view doesn't upset anybody.

vkid

zulutango wrote: »

I have to say these guys and girls deserve a lot of credit for what they do. It's no easy task to patrol the river late at night in all kinds of weather and the cause is very admirable.

However, I wonder about the effectiveness of the patrols. If anybody truly wishes to end their days by throwing themselves into the river, surely they'd avoid the patrols easily enough. It's a big river with a long stretch of river bank that can't possibly be effectively patrolled. You could argue that if they save one person, or just make somebody think twice then their presence is worth it, of course. There's also the issue of hysteria surrounding the issue of suicide and the Shannon River in Limerick. It happens, we know, but whatever measures we take should be well-considered and based on evidence. Obviously it's a very sensitive issue so I hope this view doesn't upset anybody.

Maybe at times its a cry for help, rather than a determination to end it. Even if they save 1 life, it is to be admired and respected. The next few weeks really are a tough time for a lot of people so any help is to be commended.

McSween

Look up The Guardians Limerick on youtube. It is a documentary about these people made by some friends at Mary I. Excellent. Any highlighting of this topic can only be good if it helps prevention.

Poxyshamrock

Some of the money raised from the remembrance tree on Bedford Row is going towards the guys at CSPP. It's a very good cause so if you have some spare change you could throw it into the box.

black & white

I couldn't do what they do so fair play to them. I sincerely hope that they have the emotional support they will need when they see or hear something that affects them.

barney 20v

We've a similar service here in Wexford Town- not one death in wex town from suicide since they were set up- brilliant stuff

Itsdacraic

zulutango wrote: »

I have to say these guys and girls deserve a lot of credit for what they do. It's no easy task to patrol the river late at night in all kinds of weather and the cause is very admirable.

However, I wonder about the effectiveness of the patrols. If anybody truly wishes to end their days by throwing themselves into the river, surely they'd avoid the patrols easily enough. It's a big river with a long stretch of river bank that can't possibly be effectively patrolled. You could argue that if they save one person, or just make somebody think twice then their presence is worth it, of course. There's also the issue of hysteria surrounding the issue of suicide and the Shannon River in Limerick. It happens, we know, but whatever measures we take should be well-considered and based on evidence. Obviously it's a very sensitive issue so I hope this view doesn't upset anybody.

Most people don't actually want to end it and when they get to that stage where they are standing at the ledge they are not thinking "how can I avoid the patrols". When they are there all it might take is a simple "are you ok" from anybody (not even a patrol person) for them to snap out of it.

They did an experiement on a suicide hot-spot in the US where people asked pretty much anyone they met on the bridge "are you ok", once they implemented this suicides dropped dramatically and the number of people seeking help increased.

Inspector Dhar

barney 20v wrote: »

We've a similar service here in Wexford Town- not one death in wex town from suicide since they were set up- brilliant stuff

Perhaps no suicides by drowning, Barney, but several other suicides in Wexford in 2014