{
  "abstract": "Background: First responders are categorised as those who are the first to respond to emergency calls and attend the site of an emergency. They include, but are not limited to police, emergency medical technicians, firefighters, and water safety personnel. First responders play a critical role in suicide postvention, supporting those bereaved by suicide and preventing adverse outcomes. However, many responders feel uncertain about how to effectively support those bereaved by suicide and often lack formal postvention training. This study aimed to explore and understand the experiences and training needs of first responders when attending the scene of a suspected suicide. Methods: A mixed-method approach was adopted. A national quantitative survey with first responders was conducted. The impact of previous suicide-related training on suicide literacy, attitudes, and postvention knowledge was analysed using multivariate ANOVA, adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Qualitative data were collected through focus groups and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: A total of 1587 first responders completed surveys. Participants demonstrated positive and non-stigmatising attitudes towards suicide prevention and suicidal individuals, though lower scores were achieved for suicide literacy, postvention knowledge, organisation support, and preparedness. Previous suicide-related training was significantly associated with higher literacy, attitudes, and postvention knowledge, although effect-sizes were small. Qualitative findings from 10 focus groups revealed substantial gaps in training and confidence when responding to suspected suicides. Participants also described the considerable emotional toll of attending the scene and emphasised the need for support in the aftermath. Conclusion: Attending the scene of a suspected suicide has an impact on first responders. Limited suicide prevention and postvention training creates challenges, particularly in communicating with the bereaved. These findings underscore the need for comprehensive suicide prevention and postvention training and the allocation of adequate support.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland",
    "Child and Adolescent Mental Health Center, University Hospital-Mental Health Services CPH, Copenhagen, Denmark",
    "Copenhagen Center for Social Data Science (SODAS), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark",
    "School of Clinical Therapies, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland",
    "An Garda Síochána, Dublin, Ireland",
    "Cork City Fire Brigade, Cork, Ireland",
    "Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Kinsale, Cork, Ireland",
    "The Irish Coast Guard, Cork, Ireland",
    "Association of Clinical Pastoral Education, Dublin, Ireland",
    "Pieta, Dublin, Ireland",
    "National Ambulance Service, Cork, Ireland"
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 22,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "John Goodwin"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Saoirse Duggan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Katerina Drakos"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Patrick Cotter"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Ryan Biskupovic-Goulding"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Sean Kelleher"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Maria O’Malley"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7
      ],
      "name": "Nuala Walshe"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        8
      ],
      "name": "Brendan Noonan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        9
      ],
      "name": "Rachel Flynn"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        10
      ],
      "name": "Emma Gleeson"
    },
    {
      "name": "Andrea Kelly"
    },
    {
      "name": "Lisa Culloty"
    },
    {
      "name": "Nell Fingleton"
    },
    {
      "name": "Omar Fitzell"
    },
    {
      "name": "John Cudmore"
    },
    {
      "name": "Owen Hackett"
    },
    {
      "name": "Victor Shine"
    },
    {
      "name": "Bruce Pierce"
    },
    {
      "name": "Carmel Crowe"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ger O’Dea"
    },
    {
      "name": "Aine O’Donovan"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bawm3ddczyhh3.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0360382",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "bawm3ddczyhh3",
  "issns": [
    "1932-6203"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0360382",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "3203|Suicide and Self-Harm Studies"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Psychology/Emotions"
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  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0360382&type=printable",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-13",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bawm3ddczyhh3.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:30Z",
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  "subjects": [
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      "origin": "plos:mental health and psychiatry",
      "subfield": "psychiatry"
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  "title": "First responders’ experiences and training needs at the scene of a suspected suicide in Ireland: A mixed methods study",
  "title_text": "First responders’ experiences and training needs at the scene of a suspected suicide in Ireland: A mixed methods study",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:30Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bawm3ddczyhh3",
  "venue": "PLOS One",
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