The Official Web Site of Suicide Prevention for the Golden Gate Bridge

GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE SUICIDE BARRIER COALITION MINUTES April1999

Present: M. Mahoney. E. Jindrich, M. Hailett, L. Meredith, J. Motto, R. Tauber, J. Vidaurri, B. Angotti

MEDIA:

There were several recent Media stories, which were brought to the meeting. The Press Democrat had a recent suicide editorial and a man leaped to his death during the Hooligan's race. One jumper survived this past February. Dr. Motto feels it would be helpful to speak with this recent survivor to know of his motivation for jumping. There was a suggestion to write to the California Highway Patrol under the freedom of information act to get information on this jumper. Dr. Motto will pursue information on this individual.

TORONTO (Suicide Barrier Group):

Mike Mc Camus of Toronto has been in touch with our group for help in furthering their work towards erecting a suicide barrier at the Toronto viaduct bridge. The Barrier Coalition provided him with the Mary Currie’s number at the GGB, as she would be most helpful in providing him information on the efficacy of phones and scooter patrols. Mc Camus will be provided with R. Tauber’s e-mail address and phone number in case he should want any information on the activities of our group. The phones on the bridge, as we know, have been particularly ineffectual as only five calls have been patched through to SFSP in recent years. The Bridge district claims that the scooter patrols have been effective. B. Jindrich pointed out that it is at least safe to say that the death rate has remained constant despite the telephone and the scooter patrols. M. Hallett questioned whether or not funding has been continued for the scooter patrols on the bridge as they were, at first, funded only temporarily.

NEW DIRECTOR GGB

We need to meet with the new Manager of the Golden Gate Bridge District, Celia Kupersmith, in order to allow her to know who we are. It would be appropriate to schedule a 15-20 minute meeting with the new Manager in order to get acquainted, and to let her know how helpful her staff has been in the past and how we are concerned about the Bridge Director’s commitment to erecting a suicide deterrent. The deterrent was mentioned in the GGB newsletter. It was an article, which talks about barrier issues. L. Meredith contacted the bridge about the bicycle barrier and found out that there have been no fatalities as a result of not having this barrier and that there is a legal requirement that the bridge erect one.

BUDGET

M. Hallett indicates we have collected $9,000 since 6/97 and have expended $6,598 of that amount. Refreshments for the GGSBC meetings have not been charged against the original funding but have been charged to Suicide Prevention.

GGB/Z-CLIP AGREEMENT:

J Vidaurri spoke of the recent construction on the Bridge retrofit. Trash was being thrown down and affected the workers below so the Bridge District constructed a chain-link fence from Vista Point to the North Tower on the Bridge’s north end. J.Vidaurri indicated that we need to find out the exact status of any agreement that the bridge has with Z-cip at present. E.Angotti to call Russ Haycock to find out the status of any agreement that might exist and if he has had any direct contact with the new manager, Kupersmith, and his suggestions with regard to her. E. Jindrich, B. Angotti, and J.Motto spoke of the most recent meetings which they attended.

STRATEGIES:

There was a brief discussion of the San Francisco Board of Supervisor members and the need to contact the new Board members. L. Meredith suggests that their politics are not consistent with Amiano but are more closely aligned with Mayor Brown. The prevailing point of view among board members is that aesthetics trumps the health and safety issues.

ACTION PLAN:

Press release to be issued by L. Meredith a week before bridge anniversary to partner with the Health Department. M. Mahoney suggested inviting M. Luckhoff to
be on our board. J.Vidaurri spoke with him after the Garret Suicide and feels that he might be interested in working on our board and will contact him. E.Angotti to make sure statistics are updated, contact Russ Haycock, and draft letter of introduction to Kupersmith.

GGSBC NEXT MEETING

IN MARIN Monday, JUNE 21, 1999 7:00PM
at Marin Suicide Prevention
10 San Pedro Road, San Rafael

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