sam_neil
sam_neil t1_jb3thx8 wrote
Reply to comment by casicua in Woman found dead in Jeep full of noxious chemicals on Manhattan’s Sutton Place in bizarre suspected suicide by justthekoufax
They basically evacuate the area and then someone wearing protective gear like an SCBA (air pack) goes in, opens the door and they allow it to ventilate with no one nearby to potentially get hurt.
sam_neil t1_jb2xu5j wrote
Reply to Woman found dead in Jeep full of noxious chemicals on Manhattan’s Sutton Place in bizarre suspected suicide by justthekoufax
Paramedic here-
If you ever see a vehicle with an unconscious person in it, don’t initially try to open the door.
The chemicals she combined form hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide will fucking kill you. It is lethal in the range of 500-1000ppm, which is not very much. The levels generated by that chemical reaction in an enclosed space are significantly higher than that, and opening the door will release a cloud in your face. Three first responders were exposed in this incident- luckily they are ok.
If it is a chemical suicide, the person is already dead. There is no antidote. There is no use breaking the window or dragging them out. You will just become a patient. Hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs. If you smell that, you are way too fucking close.
If you see someone appearing unconscious in a vehicle, take a peek. She left a 5 gallon mixing bucket in the passenger seat, which should have tipped off responders. Generally with “detergent suicide” the victim leaves a note to not open the door, but not always, as in this case.
If you are truly concerned, Knock on the glass. Don’t be afraid to knock hard. Odds are they are asleep the likelihood of waking up someone who lives out on Long Island or upstate and is working doubles in the city, or just someone having a plain old overdose are much higher than it being a chemical suicide. Just call 911 and let them know what you see. They will determine what resources to send, and a clear concise description of the scene will start the ball rolling faster and get the right resources to you.
Do. Not. Open. The. Fucking. Door.
sam_neil t1_jb4jtu0 wrote
Reply to comment by Dump_Bucket_Supreme in Woman found dead in Jeep full of noxious chemicals on Manhattan’s Sutton Place in bizarre suspected suicide by justthekoufax
It’s not common. Like a few dozen cases annually in the US. It’s worth remembering though, because of the insane danger it poses to responders or good samaritans trying to help.
It really got big in Japan in like 2007 or so and became “a thing” since then.
I can only think of it happening in NYC three times off the top of my head, over the course of my ten years working in EMS. Anyone who researches how to kill themselves can come up with way better methods, but this is the nuclear option so to speak.