What to do in an emergency
Please note that this page is intended to prepare you for what to do if confronted by a person in suicidal crisis. If someone you know is in suicidal crisis right now, please see our Emergency Information page.
Finding out that someone has just made a suicide attempt or is about to harm himself/herself is a daunting situation to be in. Below are some guidelines to help support you in an immediate crisis.
- Try to remain calm and confident whilst talking to the person at risk, as this can be reassuring for the person.
- As is the case in a First Aid situation, it is vital not to put yourself in any danger whilst offering support to the person.
- Stay with the person, unless it is dangerous for you to do so.
- If the person at risk phoned you, stay on the phone and find out exactly where he/she is and whether anyone else is there.
If the person has already harmed himself/herself:
Call 000. If you are using a mobile phone, 112 is an alternative emergency number that will connect you to Emergency Services.
If you are with the person
- Ask the operator for an ambulance.
- Explain the situation to the ambulance consultant.
- Follow their advice.
If the person has phoned you and is alone
- Try to remain in contact with them on this line.
- If you have access to another phone (landline or mobile), use the second phone to call 000, whilst remaining in phone contact with the person at risk.
- Ask the operator for the police.
- Ask the police for a welfare check on behalf of the person you are concerned about.
- Give the police as much information about the situation as possible.
- Follow their advice.
If the person has not yet harmed himself/herself:
If you are with the person
- DO NOT attempt to wrestle a weapon away from someone as you may put yourself at risk.
- If it is safe to do so, remove any firearms, knives, medications and other poisons, ropes or hoses from the person’s reach.
If you are on the phone
- Encourage the person to remove the above items from his/her sight.
Try to make a safety contract with the person. See How should I talk to them about it?
- A safety contract is a verbal agreement or promise given by the person that he/she won’t try to harm himself/herself for a certain time period.
- Make sure the time-period is realistic.
- Encourage and support the person at risk to go to a place where he or she will remain safe from harm, such as:
the emergency department of the local hospital
the local crisis centre or mental health centre
home (if the person feel safe there and someone is able to stay with him/her)
If the person won’t agree to keep safe, call either:
- The local public emergency mental health service (see Community Resources), or
- The police (000) for a welfare check if the person is alone, has a weapon or is in a dangerous situation.
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