Latest News from Bridge Rail Foundation

Our mission is to prevent suicides on the Golden Gate Bridge and advocate for restricting access to all means of suicide.

June 2020 Newsletter

2020 Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Statistics
Confirmed suicides through May: 10
Unconfirmed suicides through May: 1
Interventions through May: 79
Suicides & interventions through May: 89
Source: Golden Gate Bridge District

2019 Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Statistics
Confirmed suicides during the year: 28
Unconfirmed suicides during the year: 2
Interventions during the year: 167
Suicides & interventions during the year: 197
Source: Golden Gate Bridge District

Progress on the Net

BRF member Kimberlyrenee Gamboa reports that on May 29th, Golden Gate Bridge District board members were informed that 75% of the suicide deterrent net supports have been installed, 75% of the handrails have been replaced, and 50% of the net, which will be 360,000 square feet when it's completed (the size of seven football fields), has been fabricated. The entire fabrication of all parts is supposed to be completed by December this year, with installation of the net projected to be completed by January 2023.The completion of a related component, retrofitting for added wind resistance, is projected to be April 2024.

Office of Suicide Prevention

The California Office of Suicide Prevention was established in 2008 under the auspices of the state Mental Health Department and charged with monitoring progress on the recently approved "California Strategic Plan on Suicide Prevention." A few years later, however, the Mental Health Department was merged with the state hospital system and the Office of Suicide Prevention disappeared. New legislation, AB 2112 (Ramos), if approved, will reestablish it, this time within the California Department of Public Health. The bill passed the Assembly Committee on Health unanimously (15 to 0) with seven committee members asking to be co-authors. Next up: Assembly Appropriations.

Fifteen Years Ago...

In 2005, two significant events occurred. First, Eric Steel's documentary The Bridge was released. It provided a visual record of Golden Gate Bridge suicides unlike anything that people had seen before or since. Second, the San Francisco Chronicle published a week-long, page one, top-of-the-fold series titled "Lethal Beauty." The series explored all angles of suicides from the bridge, and concluded with an editorial calling for a physical suicide deterrent. Fifteen years later, the bridge still lacks a suicide barrier, although the day is drawing nearer when that no longer will be the case. It's way too early to celebrate since there still are about 30 suicide deaths per year, but it's possible to believe that sooner rather than later the bridge will be safe for all.

Bridge Rail Foundation is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization. Safe, secure, tax-deductible donations can be made by clicking on this link. Community support makes our work possible.

Copyright © 2020 Bridge Rail Foundation. All rights reserved.
3020 Bridgeway #179, Sausalito, CA 94965. www.bridgerail.net.

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Bridge Rail Foundation · 3020 Bridgeway #179 · Sausalito, CA 94565 · USA