NYC subway clerk cuts power to tracks to prevent suicide attempt in Manhattan station

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/nyc-subway-clerk-cuts-power-to-tracks-to-prevent-suicide-attempt-in-manhattan-station/2011/08/20/gIQApLO7RJ_story.html?wprss=rss_national

By Associated Press, Published: August 20

NEW YORK — A New York City subway clerk thwarted a suicide attempt at his Manhattan station by cutting the power to the tracks as a train approached.

Marty Goodman tells The New York Daily News (http://nydn.us/paIoky) that he raced from his booth early Friday morning when a man jumped from the subway platform.

The 62-year-old agent said he tried to persuade the man to climb back up off the tracks, but had to act fast when he heard an announcement that a train was one station away.

Goodman found a power shutoff in the tunnel and threw the switch. Police and firefighters were on the scene shortly and took the distraught man to a hospital.

[malaise]

1. Bet he's a union man

:applause:

[Smarmie Doofus]

7. Gotta be. NYC Transit Workers Union. n/t

[Lunabelle]

2. They'll probably try to fire the guy

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Talk about quick thinking!

I hope the distraught man will get the help he so desperately needs...

[annabanana]

4. My sentiments exactly. Thank God for the presence of mind to

act so quickly

[Brickbat]

5. He saved a bunch of grief in the train operator's life, too.

[needledriver]

8. Train operators have probably

seen it more often than you would imagine.

When I lived in NY in the 70's, I used to enjoy riding the subway in the front car, looking forward down the tunnels as New York's underworld rushed by. One Sunday afternoon, as the train I was in pulled into the 42nd Street station, a man jumped off the platform right in front of me.

The train operator continued pulling the train into the station. He got on the radio and called in a "12-9". I was struck by how calm and matter-of-fact he was at this shattering event. I was numb with shock - and I was amazed/dismayed that such a painful event was routine enough to be reduced to a simple code phrase. The train operator had probably seen it enough to be somewhat immunized against the full effect.

[Brickbat]

9. They do their jobs, and then they deal with it when they go home.

Mr. Brickbat is a locomotive engineer. Believe me, they remember every person who has gone under the wheels, by choice or by accident.

[Beacool]

6. Good thinking!!!

NYC gets a bad rap, but there are plenty of caring people in the city. I hope that Mr. Goodman receives a commendation for his quick thinking.

:applause: