Dispatcher Talks Suicidal Man Off Bridge Girder

A suicidal man who climbed up a Welland (Ont.) bridge at night and perched on a girder ignored officers and negotiators who came to the scene. Instead, he preferred to talk to Niagara Regional Police Communications dispatcher Krista Neilson, and after 49 minutes climbed safely back down to the bridge deck. “I just tried to engage him in anything he wanted to talk about,” Neilson said later. The eight-year veteran said she’s previously handled distraught callers, but it’s the first time she’s dealt with a suicidal person. The man’s mood varied, Neilson said, and it was difficult to manage the ups and downs. “If you stay clam, it encourages them to stay calm,” she said. Read more about Neilson’s reaction to the incident here.