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Brookann Payseno
English Language Arts Teacher
Port Angeles School District
18 November 2017
Ms. Cherie Kidd
Deputy Mayor, City of Port Angeles
Port Angeles City Council
East 5th Street
Port Angeles, WA 98362
Dear Ms. Kidd and Port Angeles City Council:
I write with a heavy heart in lieu of the death of Ashley Wishart this past Monday,November 13.
Ashley was a student of mine in freshman English last year. All week I have been brought to
tears when I recall a bright, capable, determined young woman whose only obstacle was her own
self-doubt. I can recall conversations with her in which I couldn't help but smile as she fretted
over whether her work—far superior to any other in her class—was "good enough."I tried to
convince her time and again that her work was exceptional; I wonder if she really heard me. I
keep remembering one conversation in particular, in which I told her, heart-to-heart, of the
tremendous potential I saw in her: the brilliance,the fervor,the aptitude, and the passion. I
distinctly remember using the phrases "powerhouse" and"taking the world by storm" ... if only
she could surmount her single greatest obstacle: her own uncertainty in her ability and worth. I
feel hollow at the loss not only of a loved and admired student, but of the extraordinary woman
she someday would have been. Her decision was not only tragic and shocking,but, worst of all,
it was preventable. As far as I and many of our community are concerned, this is inexcusable.
As a teacher, it is excruciating to lose a student at any time, for any reason, but to lose one to
suicide, at such a young age, is almost unbearable. I have been listening intently this week to the
voices of my students,peers, and community members as they react to the loss of this life. Her
memorial service reflected upon a smart, gentle young woman who had a kind heart, loved
animals, worked hard, and had great ambition for her future. Since we know that many suicides
are the result of an impulse decision—an immediate response to a desperate situation—I believe
that Ashley's decision was not premeditated, but rather an act of the moment. While I am not so
naive as to believe that a person dedicated to committing suicide can find a way, I also truly
believe that, had the barriers on the 8th Street bridges been more substantial,there would have
been a chance for those who tried to reach her to succeed; had her chosen avenue been blocked,
precious time might have been saved, which in turn might have saved her life.
Our community is struggling; they are suffering. I hear the voices of students in agony at the loss
of a friend and peer—including those who did not know her—and the violence by which she
ended her life has left a raw, open wound in the lives of so many. In the wake of this loss,the
community is rallying. Ashley's life is the third in a span of just months to be lost at the 8th Street
bridges, and the seventh since the bridges reopened. Enough is enough. As a community,we
need to be proactive about finding ways to prevent suicide; we cannot continue to wait until we
are forced to react in the aftermath. It is time to open a more candid, ongoing conversation
surrounding issues of mental health, depression, and suicide. It is time to bring this subject into
the light so that we may become aware,understanding, and compassionate. It is time for action.
While the conversation of mental health will prove a lengthy endeavor, there is no reason we
cannot begin immediately. The 8t" Street bridges—though beautiful and functional—are being
misused. We simply cannot justify doing nothing when the number of lives lost in a moment of
lapsed judgment and overwhelming hopelessness continues to grow. I urge you, as a member of
our beautiful community, to start with the necessary first step and install effective barriers on the
Stn Street bridges as a means of suicide prevention. Whatever the cost maybe, it is certainly not
worth the lives of those lost to it. To be blunt,there is simply no counter-argument of sufficient
substance to validate allowing such unrestricted access to such a certain end. Our community
must acknowledge that suicide is a deep,painful, and tragically growing problem; the continued
inaction is negligent and indefensible. If steps can be taken to reduce access to locations where a
desperate individual can carry out a desperate action,we are obligated to do so; in this instance,
we not only can but we should:
Our community is early in the stages of opening a conversation about mental health—it is a
dramatically underrepresented subject—but the time is now for preventative measures to be
installed. I urge you to consider an emergency installation of barriers to prevent further such
actions on the Stn Street bridges. While this is not an end-all solution, it is a compulsory
beginning. As our City Council, you have a position of opportunity not only to be part of
preventing further lives lost, but also to save members of our community from the enduring pain
and vicarious trauma experienced by friends, family, and witnesses of the victims. We appreciate
your support and sincerity in remedying this egregious dilemma.
Sincerely,
r
Brookann Payseno
Sean Ferguson, Ed.S., NCSP
School Psychologist
Port Angeles School District
November 17, 2017
Ms. Cherie Kidd
Deputy Mayor, City of Port Angeles
Port Angeles City Council
East 5th Street
Port Angeles, WA 98362
Dear Ms. Kidd,
I am writing to you from a place of anguish, and would Like to speak a bit regarding the state of
our community. Being a relatively new resident to the North Olympic Peninsula, I find the
beauty and tranquility of Port Angeles, in particular, captivating beyond measure, and thoroughly
enjoy the meandering drives and breathtaking views offered not just in our mountain-side and
waterfront vistas, but also in the breathtaking spectacles offered with each mile driven in our
neighborhoods.
However, recent events have affirmed a need for restraint in some of these venues, most notably
at the two 8th Street bridges. The jumping suicide of a PARS student on Monday, November
16th, 2017 is one of 7 such involving the two bridges since their opening, and the third this year
alone, with Clallam County in particular being susceptible to high suicide rates overall
(Washington State Department of Health, c. 2017). Suicide rates in Washington State have risen
since 2006, from 12 per 100,000 to 15 per 100,000, with Clallam County as the 5th highest in
suicide rate per capita, statewide (Health of Washington State, Suicide, 2015). Washington State
is already afforded a suicide rate roughly 10%higher than the national average, and it is with this
information that I feel confident saying we, as a community, must take action to prevent suicide
attempts, using proven, research based means.
In reading through previous community responses rejecting the idea of building fences on the
bridges, I feel that some clarification is in order. It is a common myth, in regards to suicide that a
person will '...always find a way, if they're determined'. This statement ignores a hard fact
about suicidality: that many, if not most, suicide attempts are impulsive in nature (Mann, 2003);
and can be avoided when appropriate safeguards are put into place. A study in 2007 of barriers
installed on the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, UK, between 1994 and 1998 showed a
significant drop in the number of suicide attempts at that location, as well as at other bridges in
the region(Bennewith, Nowers, & Gunnell, 2007). At least two other studies have confirmed
that permanent, appropriate physical barriers, can be an effective means of deterring suicide by
jumping(Beautrais, 2001; O'Carroll et al, 1994).
In our own backyard, Seattle's Aurora Bridge has been the site of more than 230 jumping
suicides, second only to San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge in the US, and third highest in
recorded rates in the world. Since the construction of a suicide prevention fence in February of
2011, there have been zero recorded suicides by jumping at the Aurora Bridge (Bridge Rail
Foundation, 2017). Further research the world over shows that the construction of a bridge
barrier can, and does, drastically reduce the number of suicide attempts from that, and nearby,
locations. At the very least, restricting access to suicide methods can help buy crucial seconds for
the person-in-crisis, and can result in a drastic reduction in overall suicide attempts. It is with this
in mind that, as a community, we should acknowledge the need for systems of prevention, and
act by implementing those that have been proven effective.
As a member of both the public education and mental health communities, and as a concerned
citizen of Port Angeles, I can say with certainty and alarm that our community is suffering.
While installing fences on our two 81h Street bridges may be viewed as a temporary measure to
delay a growing mental health dilemma, the research is clear: installing physical barriers is a
proven effective means of reducing the rate of suicide by jumping. While there are a number of
policies and programs that could be considered that may help address the growing mental health
needs of our region, the construction of the bridge fences can provide effective support in
deterring future persons-in-crisis from ending their lives prematurely.
I urge you to consider proposing an immediate, emergency project to install fences on the
bridges, in order to help protect the lives of individuals in crisis.
Respectful
Sean Ferguson, d. ,NCSP
School Psychologist
Port Angeles School District
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11/18/2017
To whom it may concern,
This letter is regards to the proposal of the fence being built on the 8t"Street Bridge. I know that there is
deeper issues at hand. I believe this would not only help the families who have lost someone, but also
the community. When tragedies like this occur we all feel the pain and suffering. I support this idea. I
believe it is important.Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Alisha Adams
360-670-1141
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To the Port Angeles City Council
My name is Taylor. I am 14 and a Freshman at Port Angels High
School. I have gone through some dark times in the last 2 years
but through great support, I am okay and have learned to handle
bullys and other things that happen in my life that are far from
great. The sad thing is, many young poeple, adults too, dont find
the support they need, and life doesnt seem worth living. The 8th
street bridges seem to be their answer. You have it within your
power to make the necessary changes in the bridge to keep
people from using them to end their lives. Even if higher fences
are expensive, why should there be a price on those lives. Even if
that is not possible, maybe nets. Somewhere in the world with all
new tecnology, there must be a solution. Maybe even a go fund
me site could help with costs. Please do not keep depating this
problem. It has been gone over and over. This community expects
your leadership, so get it done.
Taylor Tolliver
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