Fatal!!

[Trhopeful]

How did you deal with your first fatal?

Is it still very hard for you to deal for with?

I think the hardest to deal with is the death of children?


What do you think?

[Tim Dees]

You're going to do better with replies if you post questions that don't require a long narrative to answer. If you genuinely want to know these things, there are books that you can read. If you're just trying to provoke discussion, we already have plenty of people that do that without trying.

[Trhopeful]

You're going to do better with replies if you post questions that don't require a long narrative to answer. If you genuinely want to know these things, there are books that you can read. If you're just trying to provoke discussion, we already have plenty of people that do that without trying.

Thanks! I genuinely wanted to know but I will try to find the books on the subject.

[Code3inKC]

How did you deal with your first fatal?

Is it still very hard for you to deal for with?

I think the hardest to deal with is the death of children?


What do you think?

Well, I'm not a cop but work private security. I'm sure Police Officers have had much worse than me. My first death was a 10 year old girl who had a heart attack (yes, she had a history of health problems). When I arrived, she was completely blue and I knew she was already dead. Her family was all around and was looking (and screaming) at me to do something. I administered CPR until the ambulance arrived, even though I knew she was already gone. My efforts were worthless. I felt a LOT of guilt after that incident. I didn't feel sad or upset after it happened and I felt like an ******* because I felt like I should have felt worse. It’s very ironic because I felt worse about my reaction to the death than the death itself. To be honest, I didn't really "deal" with it. It happened, I couldn't do ****, and I moved on. Maybe I’m a cold person for not feeling bad enough to the death, but on the flip side I just try not to ever think about it. Again, I do feel guilty about not taking it more personal, but there was nothing I could do. That poor child is resting in peace.

[Frank Booth]

No one here gets out alive. Eat right and wear your seatbelt and don't worry about the rest.

[trooperden]

fatal

I saw a lot of deaths prior to becoming a trooper

[Punisher11]

Death! It happens, life goes on...

you just deal with them. If you can't handle human being dying then your in the wrong line of work and should turn your badge in tomorrow. I recently lost my brother. I was working the night he was killed and it happened in the county I was working in. I was informed of my brothers death by collegues, who are also friends of miine... Then I had to drive to my parents house and tell my parents that their first born and my oldest brother was dead. He left behind two little boys 8, and 10, and I had to tell them to. I have become their guardian. They still have their mother, but I won't get into that. I still grieve everyday, and miss my brother very much. He was one of my best friends, and I couldn't do anything. I'm thankful of the time I had with him, and that I got to see him early that fateful day. Sometimes I feel a guilt, that I should have seen it coming, or that I should've grabbed him and slapped him and said c'mon, you have two little boys to think of. He loved those two boys more than anything. I deal with THAT everyday, dealing with people you don't know, who have died is easy by comparison. You deliver the news if you have to, you be professional, sympathetic, and let them know you know what they are feeling because there is a lot of cops out there that have expierenced tragic episodes. So most aren't just good at their jobs, they had a personal expierience, like me. You just do it, that is why if you ever take notice at a death scene you'll see some cops smiling or even laughing. They aren't doing it to be disrespectful, they are trying to maintain their sanity.... Most of you who will read this will agree.

[NightStix]

I agree, coming from basically the murder capital of the world. You just become numb to it. When you see it everyday, you HAVE to find ways of dealing with it, otherwise you will go mad. As it was just stated, that is why you see police laughing or joking. Its how most police deal. Its not meant towards any disrespect at all, but the public may think otherwise.

[Mays]

First fatal that I worked was as a Vol Firefighter back home.

Was a young punk driving outside his skill level, got sideways...clipped the ditch and slammed into a tree passenger side first. The problem was his wife was on the passenger side. he was pretty messed up but they already had him out of the vehicle and in the chopper by the time my Engine came on scene.

It took us 30 minutes to extricate her. It was difficult to know if there was any hope until we got her out. We all pretty well knew what the outcome would be though. She had a lot of head trama and I did my best to keep from looking too much in detail. I'll leave that for the coroner.

It did mess me up for a little while but I'm sure it's because it was my first one. I think making yourself numb to it is a good idea, but I've seen some officers get in trouble because they are TOO numb to it. i.e., cracking jokes, and being too casual about it when the family is around.

[Trhopeful]

you just deal with them. If you can't handle human being dying then your in the wrong line of work and should turn your badge in tomorrow.

It's not that I can't handle people dying I was just curious to how LEO's handle the death of people everyday. My brother was shot to death saving to little girls, when he was 14 years old, so I know how you feel.

[Frank Booth]

It's not that I can't handle people dying I was just curious to how LEO's handle the death of people everyday.

Excluding homicide cops at the handful of "murder capital" departments across the country, cops don't see death anywhere near "every day".