By Mark Prado
The Marin Independent Journal
NOVATO, Calif. — When suicide nets go on the Golden Gate Bridge, it will be the Southern Marin Fire Protection District’s job to rescue anyone who falls into them.
In June, Golden Gate Bridge officials announced they had a funding package for a $76 million suicide barrier project for the span and that it could be installed by 2018.
The bridge district’s suicide barrier plan calls for nets extending 20 feet below and 20 feet from each side of the span. The nets would be made of stainless steel cable.
While people could still jump into the nets, such occurrences might be rare because the net would act as a deterrent. A similar net was placed more than a decade ago on the Munster Terrace cathedral in Bern, Switzerland, and since then no suicide attempts have been reported.
Still, if someone were to jump, the district needs a plan. Initially it was thought two “snooper” trucks with elongated arms would be purchased to scoop up anyone who ended up in the nets.
But the Southern Marin fire officials stepped forward to offer their assistance.
“We have worked very closely with the Golden Gate Bridge for many years,” fire Chief Jim Irving said. “This type of rescue is what we do. We perform these types of high-angle rescues, so it makes sense for us.”
The department has the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Marin Headlands in its jurisdiction and is called upon to rescue people from cliffs, similar to a rescue that would occur in one of the nets.
In order to help the department train further, the bridge district will spend $65,000 to construct replica netting at the fire department’s training ground in Strawberry. Equipment for the actual rescues could be kept at the bridge, Irving said.
But it is possible that the fire department’s services might not be needed.
“It’s not a soft net,” said Ewa Bauer, bridge engineer. “From the height of 20 feet, jumping into a steel net would be quite a hard fall and cause substantial injuries. It might not happen, but if it does we have to be prepared for it.”
Added Denis Mulligan, bridge general manager: “In all likelihood if it happens it would be extremely rare.”
Backers of a suicide barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge got a boost in July 2012 when President Obama signed a transportation bill that includes language allowing federal funds to flow to the project.
The bridge district will contribute $20 million from its reserves for the project, Caltrans will contribute $22 million, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission $27 million and the state $7 million under a funding plan.
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(c)2014 The Marin Independent Journal (Novato, Calif.)
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