Preventing suicide by jumping: the effect of a bridge safety fence.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of a bridge safety fence in preventing suicide.


METHODS
We examined suicides from jumping off the Memorial Bridge in Augusta, Maine, from 1 April 1960 to 31 July 2005. The safety fence was installed during 1983, the mid-point of the study period.


RESULTS
14 suicides from the bridge were identified; all occurred before installation of the safety fence. The number of suicides by jumping from other structures remained unchanged after installation of the fence.


CONCLUSIONS
The safety fence was effective in preventing suicides from the bridge. There was no evidence that suicidal individuals sought alternative sites for jumping.
Pelletier
Andrew R
AR
Division of State and Local Readiness, Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. arp1@cdc.gov
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control; D001107:Architectural Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008281:Maine; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*