She’s backing new suicide prevention drive
An inspirational rail worker is encouraging people to take action if they think someone on a train station platform may want to take their own life.
Susan Temple was on her way home from a night out two years ago when she found a vulnerable man at a train station.
She felt that he needed help and struck up a conversation that ultimately saved his life – as it turned out they met just before he planned on ending his own life.
Now Susan is backing ScotRail’s new campaign with Samaritans, called Small Talk Saves Lives.
This educates people on how to deal with someone they think could be close to taking their own life.
She explained: “I was on my way home from a night out with friends when, from the station platform, I saw this young man counting one, two, three and thought ‘something isn’t right here.’
“I asked him if he was lost and he said ‘No, but I am about to lose my own life’.”
Susan, who works at Johnstone railway station, gradually moved closer and closer to the man who had recently separated from his pregnant girlfriend and had become homeless.
“I sympathised with the boy,” she said.
“I’ve been homeless myself, so I could understand how he was feeling.
“I told him: ‘I’ve been where you’ve been. Nothing is ever worth taking your own life for’.
“He kept saying: ‘ I am a waste of space. I’ve got nothing’.
“I replied: ‘ If you do this, how is you baby going to feel? How is your girlfriend going to feel? What about that driver?
“You’re not taking your own life, you’re making that driver kill you. Think about how he would feel after that.’”
Susan believes that considering the consequences of his actions was what made the man change his mind.
Susan was able to signal to the oncoming train driver to slow down while the police made their way to the scene.
Susan added that when she made her way home that night her legs were shaking from the experience, but she has no regrets and would do it all again.
Susan is one of 1,500 ScotRail Alliance staff who have been trained by Samaritans, and the aim of Small Talk Saves Lives is to make members of the public more confident in approaching someone they feel might be in trouble.
Samaritans chief executive Ruth Sutherland said: “Suicide is everybody’s business, and any one of us could have an opportunity to save a life.
“We have worked carefully with the public, rail travellers and those bereaved by suicide to ensure that this campaign is delivered sensitively but with real impact. The knowledge and skills to save lives in the rail environment can be applied to many other situations.
“We hope that Small Talk Saves Lives is the start of a much wider conversation about how suicide is preventable.”
Seventy three per cent of people would expect somebody to approach their loved one if they were upset in a public place.
David Lister, ScotRail Alliance sustainability and safety assurance director, aded: “Every suicide on the railway is a preventable tragedy, and everyone who travels by train can help – simply by looking out for each other. If someone seems distressed, why not go over and strike up conversation with them?”
If you are feeling suicidal, or you know someone that might be, call one of the helpline numbers — Samaritans on 116 123, Breathing Space on 0800 83 85 87, or RAMH First Crisis on 0141 849 90 90 or 0500 829 093.
Visit www.samaritans.org for more information on suicide prevention.
Everybody who travels by train can help – simply by looking out for each other