A young woman’s life was saved thanks to the actions of the Warwick Police and Fire Departments on Sunday, May 17.

The 23-year-old woman stood on the Greenwich Avenue Route 95 overpass, ready to jump into the oncoming traffic below, when officers arrived on the scene at 8:02 p.m.

Officer James Michailides, one of the first responders, engaged the woman in a dialogue, gained her trust and was able to get close enough to her to grab her hands through the fence.

When the woman continued to try and push herself off the fence and into traffic Officers Christopher Lo and Stephen Major along with Sergeant Thomas Snow held onto her clothing through the fence. Warwick Firefighters David Andrews, Private Kyle Connelly and Private Joseph Levesque reached the young woman and brought her down from the bridge and to safety.

Michailides is a member of the Mental Health Crisis Response Team, a group that receives extra training to be able to identify and handle situations when a person suffering from mental health issues is involved.

Sergeant Kyle Ketelle, the team leader of the Mental Health Crisis Response Team, explained officers receive training concerning suicide prevention, mental and first aid training, and some receive CRT (crisis response training). The team meets once a month and often has guest speakers from professionals and others who deal closely with issues of mental health.

Ketelle said, “It is not an attractive topic, but it’s one of our most common calls, people having suicidal thoughts, or someone suffering from a delusion, having a psychotic episode. It’s a safety issue for everyone involved.”

He said it is important to have members within the department who are equipped with knowledge and training on mental health to successfully handle these situations so no one gets hurt.

Michailides’ training in mental health, according to Ketelle, was a large factor in keeping the young woman alive long enough for other officers and firefighters to arrive on the scene and not only hold on to her but also bring her to safety. Once safely on the ground, the young woman was brought to a hospital for a mental health evaluation.

Major Christine Kelley, who commended not only the officers involved but also the fire department, said, “This was an intense situation that could have ended tragically, but fortunately we were able to help the young woman get the medical help she needed at the time.”

If you or someone you know is suffering from suicidal thoughts call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255 or the Rhode Island Samaritans Crisis Hotline at 272-4044.