My first call as an officer in charge was a suicide by hanging.
On those days when our Sergeant would take a day off, the Lieutenant would choose someone from his or her squad to be what was called the PIC or Person In Charge. The PIC took the place of the Sgt. for that shift or week or whatever the occasion was.
The PIC did not answer calls for service and write reports. He or she was the acting Sgt. There came a day when I was the PIC. It was my first time in that role. Not long after I checked on the first call was suicide by hanging.
As the acting supervisor I responded to assist the Officer conducting the investigation. When I arrived, I observed a man about 15-20’ up in the air hanging from a tree. Fire Rescue was already on scene and confirmed the man was dead.
The man had placed a ladder against the tree. He climbed to the branch of choice and secured a plastic wrapped metal cable to it. He placed the other end around his neck and took his life. There was no one home. If memory serves me, I believe he was discovered by a neighbor.
A firefighter was tasked with climbing the ladder to retrieve the man’s body. As he loosened the noose and was attempting to secure the body around the torso, the dead man slipped from his grasp and fell the 15-20’ to the ground. It was obvious that rigor mortis had not set in for the body hit the ground like a sack of potatoes.
I truly felt bad for the firefighter.
It was not by first dead body and not my last, but the way he hit the ground sticks with me.
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