On Wednesday, March 21 just before 10 p.m., New Hazelton RCMP received a report of a person standing in the middle of the roadway, not moving or attempting to avoid the traffic.
A media release described how the dangerous situation got even more precarious, and the efforts from local police and firefighters:
“Police immediately attend and see a woman had climbed down underneath the bridge to a small construction walkway, threatening to jump if the police tried to approach her.
“It was clear that the woman was highly emotional so the police called for a crisis negotiator to assist. The police officers on scene continued to speak calmly in hopes to convince her to let the police help her. They hoped to de-escalate the situation so that they could bring the woman to safety.
“As the police talked to the woman, they see that she has now collapsed over a single wire at the edge of the construction walk way.
“Without hesitation two of the officers slid down the main support cable of the bridge to the unresponsive female while other offices assisted them from the top side of the bridge.
“ ‘The woman was in obvious distress and the quick action of the police likely saved her life,’ said Staff Sargent Steve Vince, NCO i/c New Hazelton detachment. ‘They placed themselves at considerable risk, to prevent injury or even death.’
“Fire personnel were called to the scene and assisted with the safe removal of everyone from the bridge. The woman was apprehended for medical assessment and taken to hospital.”