Bridging Suicide and Life

In his highly emotional suicide prevention talk, Kevin Briggs discusses his personal experience as a California Highway Patrol officer. During his 23-year-long career, much of Briggs’ time was spent patrolling San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. While the bridge is an iconic structure, renowned for its inspiring architecture and breathtaking views, it’s also a “magnet for suicide.”

Since its opening in 1937, over 1600 people have committed suicide from the bridge, defying engineer Joseph Strauss’s theory that it is “practically suicide-proof.” In fact, many people believe that the fall between the towers will transport you to another dimension, in which your worries and grief cease to exist. This is a highly romanticized notion. In actuality, those who jump strike the water at 75 miles per hour, shattering bones and puncturing vital organs.

Having responded to hundreds of suicide calls throughout his career, Briggs notes the difficulty of bringing someone back when they’re standing on the 32 inches of steel paralleling the bridge. He suggests that the most effective strategy is not talking, arguing or blaming, but listening. Your simply being there might act as a turning point for someone contemplating suicide.