Basic
Steps to take in an emergency (References 1-3)
Do
not be afraid to take action with persons who are suicidal
and perform the following:
Evaluate
the seriousness of the problem
Ask
directly if the person is thinking of killing themselves
Ask
directly if the person has a plan to kill themselves such
as how and when they
would attempt suicide
Determine
if they have the ability to carry out
their plan. For example, if the plan includes a firearm,
is there access to a firearm?
Take
the person to the nearest hospital emergency room and ask
for help if you are unsure of what to do. It is always better
to be overly cautious when working with a suicidal person.
Stay
with persons who are suicidal or make certain that they
have someone with them at all times
Validate
their feelings and be supportive, yet authoritative
Often
suicidal persons feel out of control and are relieved that
someone else is making decisions.
Involve
other people in the solution to this emergency when needed
Do
NOT promise total confidentiality (Do not say that you will
not tell anyone else about the situation)
Let
the person know that everything will be done to prevent
them from harming themselves
Seek
Professional Help
If
uncertain as to what to do next, call a suicide hotline,
crisis support service, 911 (or the number used for emergencies
in your local area), or go to the nearest hospital emergency
room
Access
Suicide Hotlines or Internet
resources to locate a local suicide hotline or crisis services
Access
local Hospitals: To access
this information via the internet from The American
Hospital Directory (AHD), click on “Free Information”
and input the information from your local area
Electronic,
print, and multimedia resources are provided to help you to
find additional authoritative information on What to do in an
emergency. These resources are available from such national
organizations as The National Institute of Mental Health as
well as professional organizations, not-for-profit organizations,
and educational institutions.
Internet
Crisis
Support Services (CSS) of Alameda County, California
CSS
is a not for profit, volunteer organization that has operated
its 24-hour telephone service for over 30 years, currently
responding to more than 50,000 calls each year.
The
CSS of Alameda County, California Web page offering information
on what to do in an emergency is available at the following
Web address:
