The first weekend Jim Manfre spent as Flagler County Sheriff was marred by two suicides. He wants to change that.
In the first case, a family member reported a Mark Gearin, of Palm Coast, as suicidal, Manfre said. Deputies searched for the man Jan. 12, both on foot and in the air, until bloodhounds let deputies to his body at Princess Place Preserve.
Next to him was a suicide note, a family photo, the man’s driver’s license, his car key and his glasses, according to a report. He died from a gunshot wound to the head, apparently self-inflicted. A handgun was found in his right hand with his finger still in the trigger guard.
In the other case, Donald Moore, also of Palm Coast, called an emergency dispatcher and said he had “many things wrong” with him, according to a report. The dispatcher then heard a single gunshot, and the man’s wife told the dispatcher he had shot himself, according to a report.
Several days before, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office responded to a death by overdose. It’s unclear whether that was intentional, Manfre said.
“In such a short span of time, we had two suicides, and three potential suicides,” Manfre said, adding that he cannot be sure whether this is a sudden spike or an ongoing trend, but saying that the incidents are troubling nonetheless.
Less than two weeks ago, the Sheriff’s Office responded to the suicide of a 23-year-old woman.
“Like anything else, (suicide cases) come in spurts, but when we have the public’s attention from these kinds of events, we try to use them as teaching opportunities,” Manfre said.
So, starting this week, Manfre is running a series of public service announcements promoting a crisis hotline that offers help to people who may have mental health issues that need to be addressed.
Manfre said his agency is working to increase awareness about the crisis line, which is not a new service but is one that not all residents know about, in hopes of reducing these incidents in the county.
The public service announcement will air on four local radio channels to urge residents to seek help when they are feeling overwhelmed by their circumstances or if they are suffering from depression.
People can seek help by calling 911, where callers can be connected to professional counselors, or by calling Flagler County’s crisis hotline at 800-539-4228.
Manfre said in a statement that the conversation about mental health care in the nation that arose after the Newtown, Conn. shooting needs to happen in local governments as well. In the same statement, the sheriff referenced slow economic times that also can lead to stress in people’s lives.
In an interview, Manfre also said that the time immediately following Christmas can sometimes be difficult. He hopes to remind residents how to seek help if they need it. Outside help can be monumental, he said. The crisis hotline is operated by people, not by an automatic answering service.
“My hope is that by spreading the word that there is help out there, we can perhaps help these people connect to some type of mental health assistance,” Manfre said. “It is time to open the lines of communication in the effort to save lives.”
