Would be suicide thwarted

Two Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service officers and a Canadian Ranger instructor are credited with saving the life of a young mother who said she was going to commit suicide in Sandy Lake.
The two police officers negotiated unsuccessfully with the distraught woman for an hour as she walked slowly towards the centre of the fast flowing Severn River where the unstable ice would not have supported her weight. The thin ice forced the officers, who had no safety equipment, to retreat.
The woman was eventually saved when the Canadian Ranger instructor, who was wearing a safety rope, managed to approach and grab her. Police, band constables and Rangers then pulled them to safety.
“Constables Shannon Dyck and Jesse Einson and Warrant Officer Mark Kendall are to be commended for their actions in saving the woman’s life,” said NAPS Staff Sgt. Dan MacLeod. “All three knowingly placed their lives in danger while attempting to bring a member of the Sandy Lake community to safety.”
A large crowd gathered on the riverbank witnessed the dramatic rescue.
“I was very impressed with their professionalism and the fact that the Rangers, as well as our local police and band constables, worked together to monitor the situation,” said Chief Adam Fiddler. “In the end everything worked out OK.”
“Warrrant Officer Mark Kendall did great stuff,” said Maj. Guy Ingram, commanding officer of the Canadian Rangers in northern Ontario. “I was very proud that we were able to help.
“The police officers tried to get out there on the river where the ice was dangerous and realized it was beyond their training and equipment level. They had no safety equipment.
“They knew our Rangers have had ice rescue training and we have rescue equipment in place in the community.”
The police immediately called on the Rangers for assistance when they received a call that a distraught woman was approaching dangerously thin ice in the middle of the river. The two officers talked to the woman and tried to get her to return to safety.
“Const. Einarson eventually grabbed the woman’s arm but she managed to escape by struggling out of her jacket and moving onto increasingly unstable ice.
“The two officers were forced to retreat and asked the Rangers who were waiting on the riverbank with ropes and other safety equipment to take over the rescue attempt.
Kendall, tethered to a safety rope held by Rangers, walked out to the woman and spoke to her.
“I talked to her for five, 10 minutes about my family and her’s,” Kendall said. “I asked her if she meant to kill herself and she said yes.
“She was very cold. She did not have warm clothing. She started stamping on the thin ice as if she wanted to break through.
“She looked away briefly and I ran about 20 feet and I tackled her. I wrapped a rope around her and I held her for all I was worth as the Rangers pulled us to safe ice.”
Only a month earlier, Kendall had taken a suicide prevention course given by MacLeod.
“I said all the things to her that Dan told us to say,” Kendall said. “It was all going through my mind as I talked to her. I have to thank Dan for what he taught me.”
A veteran of Afghanistan, he said saving the woman was “the best day in my military career. You do good things in the army but this was the best feeling ever.”
The two police officers have been nominated for life saving awards for their actions.
Sgt. Peter Moon is the public affairs ranger for 3rd Canadian Ranger Patrol Group at Canadian Forces Base Borden. See www.canadianrangers.ca.