Contact: Jonah Weinberg, 650.508.6238

Caltrain Seeks Public Help In Rail Suicide Awareness Effort

Suicide on the railway is consistently the greatest cause of train-related deaths both locally and throughout the nation. Rail suicide affects not only the friends and family of the deceased but has a much broader range, including train crews and the passengers on the trains that are involved.

This year, Caltrain is reaching out to passengers and the public to help raise awareness about this tragedy, in the hopes that the community can work together to prevent future rail suicides. Three Caltrain employees will participate in this year’s “Out of the Darkness Overnight” walk, which is sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Caltrain will introduce its team members to the public and kick off its new program at the San Francisco Caltrain Station at Fourth and King, on Tuesday, May 30 at 9 am. The participants include a train conductor, a transit police officer and a train manager, who is a former engineer. Collectively the three team members have faced dozens of suicides on the rails.

“This is a step to prevention,” said Amtrak Police Det. Jake Mumford, who has responded to about 15 suicides during his six years on the force and knows the helpless feeling that employees experience when suicidal people stand in the path of a train. “I would like to do something that’s proactive, that’s going to stop the suicides,” Mumford said. “If we can do something to prevent even one of these, I think we have accomplished something.”

The 20-mile Overnight walk takes place in San Francisco July 22 and goes overnight to July 23. Caltrain’s team has a goal of raising at least $1,000 each, and Caltrain will be offering passengers and the community an opportunity to participate in this effort to raise funds for suicide prevention and education.

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(Editor’s Note: for information about donating to team Caltrain/Amtrak, see the following instruction sheet)

How to Support Team Caltrain/Amtrak Out of the Darkness Overnight 20-Mile Walk to Prevent Suicide

Online Donations
1. Visit www.theovernight.org
2. Click on “Support a Participant”
3. In the “Last Name” field, type in Caltrain and click “Find Participant”
4. Select one of the team members by clicking on their name
5. Click on “Donate to this Participant”
6. Fill out the on-line form … it’s just that easy

Donate By Mail
1. Make your check out to: AFSP
2. In the memo field write “Team Caltrain/Amtrak”
3. Mail to:Out of the Darkness Overnight
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
6999 Paysphere Circle
Chicago, IL 60674

5/24/06 - jbw