What to do if you are a witness to an emergency?

f you are a witness of an emergency, extraordinary situation, or risky behaviour, when the person´s life is endangered or the person endangers other people, always call for help through emergency services.  

Altered level of consciousness  

It cannot be excluded that the person would act under the influence of narcotic substances (alcohol, drugs etc.). Or the person may experience acute episode of a serious mental illness. You always should: 

• Call emergency services  
• Your protection is always in the first place.  

If you feel that you might be in imminent danger while you are trying to prevent the risky situation (for example rescuing a suicide from a window frame), try to prevent bodily harm. In this situation always call the emergency services first, even if the person should refuse it. 

Crisis 

Apart from the above-mentioned case the person may be in a personal crisis (without altering the level of consciousness) or the person has shared with you that they are thinking about suicide, for example that "they cannot go on like this anymore". Try to initiate contact and keep it as long as possible. Try to calm down. Everybody may start feeling panic as a reaction to another person´s crisis. Try to breathe freely and ask open questions like "how are you feeling?” and show understanding, do not evaluate the suicide thoughts. If you think that the person´s life is endangered and the situation is severe, inform the person about your civic duty to contact the medical emergency in such a situation. If the person agrees and stays in the same place, try to keep in contact until the emergency arrives. The person may also refuse and leave. You have done everything that was your power.