Jumper trys suicide

This morning I heard a helicopter overhead.  It seemed pretty low.  At first I ignored it then as it got louder had another look.  It was descending and looked like it was going to land a few streets away.  I recognised its distinctive red colour and the logo on the side.  Sponsored by Virgin.  It's the air ambulance which is used in London in emergencies.  Over they years I've seen it maybe three or four times and it normally means someone is in a serious condition.

I ran out of the front door and took my camera.  I was hoping to video or photograph the copter on it's descent, because it would look really good seeing it land.  But I was too late.  So settled for some pictures of it stationary in a car park.  Some kids on bicycles asked why it was there, I said they had run out of petrol and were about to fill up at the station.  As I walked along I could see a some people and then emergency personnel.  They seemed to be gathered on a railway line.  There is a flyover next to this part of the line.  Another kid asked me "is he dead?" I'd only just got there and didn't know what the circumstances were.  But it was then obvious.  Someone had tried to commit suicide by jumping off the flyover onto the railway line.  There about fifty feet away was a stopped train.  It had stopped at the station and had not even started to move out.  Whoever had jumped had pretty much got poor timing and jumped before the train moved.  Hence a crowd of emergency personnel trying to keep him alive.  I say it was a bloke, because of the method of suicide.  Men are more successful at killing themselves except in this case.  I couldn't see a woman jumping off a bridge.  They would be a mess when they hit the ground and are more considerate.  No it was definitely a bloke.

So this would be suicide victim had now decided to stop the train service for the next hour or so as all trains would not be allowed up or down to London for the next hour or two.  The expense of the helicopter was no doubt equally phenomenal.  Then there was the police and two ambulances, a quick response one and a standard one there.  In all probably about twenty plus people involved, not to mention the closure of the train line and the impact of every person who wanted to go somewhere.  The cost I have no doubt had climbed into the tens of thousands of pounds. Now take into account the immediate emergency submission into hospital and life saving surgery the cost would escalate some more.  If he survives there would be a stay in hospital and then the use of any other life long services which would be required because no doubt this man would be crippled for the rest of his life.  The failed suicide victim now comes into needing life long support from the state again at an expense to the state for which he would unlikely to contribute back into.  The clear and cold reality is, resources taken for this one person could now have an impact on many other individuals.  NHS funds as we know are limited and resources tight.  Some other individual who would of been booked an operation today may find they are put back into the waiting line.  Other patients who may require expensive medication may find this medication is limited or not forthcoming because the funds have been depleted a little more.  Another individual who could be on a train and just had to be some place at a certain time in for a special event will miss it.  Something which can never be done again. 

So it is.  The failure of a suicide can cost society more than the success.