Officials are crediting a Lake County sheriff’s 911 dispatcher with playing a significant role in saving the life of a man who was threatening suicide by train in Greek Oaks over the weekend.
Lake County Sheriff’s 911 Telecommunicator Christy O’Dette received a 911 call around 11:25 a.m. Sunday from a man who was attempting suicide on the railroad tracks in Green Oaks north of Route 176.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said O’Dette calmly spoke to the man and used de-escalation techniques in an effort to keep him from following through with self-harm.
While de-escalating the situation, O’Dette provided information to her colleagues so they were able to call the railroad and stop all train traffic in the area.
O’Dette utilized equipment in the sheriff’s 911 center to track the location of the man via the 911 call and dispatch deputies to respond, Covelli said.
She monitored the man’s location and provided updates to the responding deputies.
Covelli said that O’Dette built rapport with the man and convinced him to get off the railroad tracks.
She stayed on the phone with him for approximately 15 minutes, making him feel comfortable until deputies located him, Covelli said.
The man was located by responding deputies and transported to an area hospital for a mental health evaluation and treatment. “The actions of Telecommunicator O’Dette undoubtedly helped save his life,” Covelli said.
Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said he is proud of O’Dette, her colleagues and the deputies who were involved in the incident.
“This is another example highlighting the abilities of our sheriff’s telecommunicators. Not only was Telecommunicator O’Dette able to stay on the 911 call with this man in mental crisis, but she multitasked, notifying the railroad to halt all trains, and providing the responding deputies with crucial information,” Idleburg said.
“The telecommunicators serving you in our sheriff’s 911 center go above and beyond like this every single day,” he added.