PoliceLink

Person Down in Auto/New way to commit suicide







Recently a new way to commit suicide has been discovered by



mixing two chemicals that can be bought over the counter at local



stores. They are Bonide - a sulfur spray used as an insecticide for



fruit trees and hydrochloric (muriatic) acid. Once mixed, the chemicals



produce heat and a flammable, noxious gas that causes the subject to



pass out and the heart stop within minutes. The process appears to be



quick and painless. Two recent cases, one in Pasadena, California and



the other at Lake Allatoona in Bartow County, Georgia, involved young



men in their early 20's. Both were found locked inside their cars with



the chemicals. Each left a note on the car warning anyone around of



danger. The car at Lake Allatoona had been taped to prevent gas from



escaping.







Does this sound like a routine call that most of us would



respond to and take similar action?







It's Sunday morning 0730 hours, you respond to a person down in



auto. You locate a car in the empty parking lot of a business. The



engine and med unit pull up near the vehicle and personnel see a person



inside that appears to be asleep or unconscious. Wearing safety glasses



and medical gloves, you walk up to the car and knock on the window.







The patient does not respond to your knock on the window, and



the doors are locked.



What action will you take? Will you hurry to make patient



access? Will you use a lockout tool, center punch, or halligan to make



entry?







You make access, a rush of warm air comes out of the vehicle and



you smell a sharp odor. You have just become a victim and have been



exposed to a noxious possibly fatal gas.







What could you have done differently? You are the first-in unit.



How should you respond to this type of incident?







1. Do not become complacent! Your response should be similar



on every call.



2. Be well trained, know your job, do your job.



3. Start your size-up from the time a call is dispatched.



4. Establish a strong command and control the scene.



5. Don't go rushing in.



6. Survey the scene.



7. Does the scene look routine?



8. Do you see anything unusual? (Example: A note on the



window, containers



inside the vehicle and taped windows or vents).



9. Is the scene safe?



10. Wear the appropriate PPE.



11. Establish a Hot Zone.



12. Develop a plan of action and coordinate activities.



13. Call for additional resources. (Hazmat Team, PD, etc.)



14. Did PD arrive prior to FD and become contaminated requiring



emergency decon and first aid?







The call listed in the first paragraph of this document started



as a routine person down call. This type of incident can easily expand



into a full blown Hazardous Materials Incident with a



multijurisdictional response. Be aware of this new way to commit



suicide and don't become a victim. Use common sense and stay safe.







To review a newspaper article and pictures regarding the suicide



in Pasadena, California, visit:







http://beaconmedianews.com/2008/08/26/23-year-old-man-commits-suici...



th-chemicals-inside-2003-vw-bug/



 

Nothing against the firedogs but you guys have the equipment and can make that choice to use it.  Cops on the other hand don't have the oppurtunity to use a SCBA and many of us don't even have a tool to break the window or enter the vehicle so we start with our baton and go from there.  I have been an advocate for having more equipment for Cops for years along with training but who listens to the little guy, the "man on the street".  The admin sure doesn't.  This is good info to know, I'll start passing it around, thanks.

carrw says ...

Nothing against the firedogs but you guys have the equipment and can make that choice to use it.  Cops on the other hand don't have the oppurtunity to use a SCBA and many of us don't even have a tool to break the window or enter the vehicle so we start with our baton and go from there.  I have been an advocate for having more equipment for Cops for years along with training but who listens to the little guy, the "man on the street".  The admin sure doesn't.  This is good info to know, I'll start passing it around, thanks.

Well said.  Started in the FD now over 20 years as PD.  No way we have that equipment.

 Temper glass can be real tough; a automatic center punch is best, and will work fast underwater too, where speed counts.   They tend to disappear so find a way to keep one on your belt as they are small and indispensable when needed.  Tapping lightly will yeild a "soft" spot many times which indicates an area of high stress by a dull sound when tapped.  A hard blow to that spot will break the glass if all you got are rocks and gun butts, ha-ha,  no joke!

If death is the intent, N2 or any inert gas will work except for CO2 as long as no O2 can be inhaled as by using a face mask.  Without the CO2 build up in the blood, the victim simply will painlessly pass out;  as they breathe the inert gas, the CO2 is exhaled, but no O2 taken in.   Death would be within minutes.  Recently helium was used in a suicide.

Unknown gases must not be inhale, some are irreversibly fatal with only one breath, and some have delayed onset symptoms up to 24+ hours.   

What is the gas produced?   Hydrogen Sulfide?   If so beware,  as it's a one breathe killer, and demands respect.   Do not breathe any of it!

That sure would not be my gas of first choice, guess people believe the web is gospel.

Had one of these in my city two weeks ago, the guy that committed suicide actually put at note on the front door making first responders aware of the present danger. He actually used two over the counter chemicals which are extremely toxic and lethal, which is of the obvious, the subject was DRT. Subject made a curtain in the shower and had a bucket of the chemicals that he was inhaling...

Be very cautious of this, it is going around on the internet. Thanks Huskerfan for bringing this up.

Lt.

huskerfan211 says ...

 

Person Down in Auto/New way to commit suicide







Recently a new way to commit suicide has been discovered by



mixing two chemicals that can be bought over the counter at local



stores. They are Bonide - a sulfur spray used as an insecticide for



fruit trees and hydrochloric (muriatic) acid. Once mixed, the chemicals



produce heat and a flammable, noxious gas that causes the subject to



pass out and the heart stop within minutes. The process appears to be



quick and painless. Two recent cases, one in Pasadena, California and



the other at Lake Allatoona in Bartow County, Georgia, involved young



men in their early 20's. Both were found locked inside their cars with



the chemicals. Each left a note on the car warning anyone around of



danger. The car at Lake Allatoona had been taped to prevent gas from



escaping.







Does this sound like a routine call that most of us would



respond to and take similar action?







It's Sunday morning 0730 hours, you respond to a person down in



auto. You locate a car in the empty parking lot of a business. The



engine and med unit pull up near the vehicle and personnel see a person



inside that appears to be asleep or unconscious. Wearing safety glasses



and medical gloves, you walk up to the car and knock on the window.







The patient does not respond to your knock on the window, and



the doors are locked.



What action will you take? Will you hurry to make patient



access? Will you use a lockout tool, center punch, or halligan to make



entry?







You make access, a rush of warm air comes out of the vehicle and



you smell a sharp odor. You have just become a victim and have been



exposed to a noxious possibly fatal gas.







What could you have done differently? You are the first-in unit.



How should you respond to this type of incident?







1. Do not become complacent! Your response should be similar



on every call.



2. Be well trained, know your job, do your job.



3. Start your size-up from the time a call is dispatched.



4. Establish a strong command and control the scene.



5. Don't go rushing in.



6. Survey the scene.



7. Does the scene look routine?



8. Do you see anything unusual? (Example: A note on the



window, containers



inside the vehicle and taped windows or vents).



9. Is the scene safe?



10. Wear the appropriate PPE.



11. Establish a Hot Zone.



12. Develop a plan of action and coordinate activities.



13. Call for additional resources. (Hazmat Team, PD, etc.)



14. Did PD arrive prior to FD and become contaminated requiring



emergency decon and first aid?







The call listed in the first paragraph of this document started



as a routine person down call. This type of incident can easily expand



into a full blown Hazardous Materials Incident with a



multijurisdictional response. Be aware of this new way to commit



suicide and don't become a victim. Use common sense and stay safe.







To review a newspaper article and pictures regarding the suicide



in Pasadena, California, visit:







http://beaconmedianews.com/2008/08/26/23-year-old-man-commits-suici...



th-chemicals-inside-2003-vw-bug/



 

 

http://www.firelink.com/topics/7605-suicide-by-haz-mat/posts

 

 

 

http://www.firefighterclosecalls.com/fullstory.php?81417

This has become a very popular way to commit suicide in Japan over the past few years. I hadn't heard about the Pasadena case before so that in of itself is worrisome.

This method of suicide has found it's way north of the border as well. We've recently been briefed on it, and it looks like we can thank the good old internet for it. Directions on how to acquire and mix the chemicals, as well as suggesting the "end user" post a warning to others, all found on chat sites.