June 22, 2014

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U.S. takes on Portugal in World Cup

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Parade President Obama, First Lady Michelle talk family in the latest issue of Parade magazine

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A special kind of gold

Walk this way Local greenway to get face-lift, growth from renewed tax Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of stories examining the proposed projects for a renewed penny sales tax, which Sumter County voters will be asked to approve in November. Money raised by the tax will go toward a series of building, infrastructure and other projects throughout the county.

MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM

Nick Linn, a member of special needs flag football team called the Sumter Assassins, steps off the bus and raises his hands in the air on Saturday as he and his team return with gold medals from the national games in Princeton, New Jersey.

gold medal at the national games in Princeton, New Jersey. He was not afraid to pose for photos with a few cheerleaders when they got back from the airport, show off his gold medal or interrupt his teammates when they recounted the game and rhetorically ask who scored that gamewinning point.

Why drive somewhere when you can take a nice scenic walk, getting some muchneeded exercise at the same time as you explore your surroundings? That’s the hope behind the proposed expansion of the Shot Pouch Greenway, one of the projects that would be funded by a renewed penny sales tax. If the tax goes forward, $4 million would go to lengthen the walking trail that

SEE ASSASSINS, PAGE A7

SEE PENNY TAX, PAGE A9

Sumter flag football team wins big at Special Olympics BY MATT WALSH matt@theitem.com (803) 774-1227 When Sumter High School special needs student Dinell Anthony first came to his foster mom, his self-esteem was so low that he was afraid to speak. “He didn’t trust a lot of people,” said Dinell’s foster mom, Dinah Shaw. “When he couldn’t do something, he

would get frustrated, and I would put my arms around him and say, ‘It’s okay. We can do this,’ and I think that encouragement helped him build his self-esteem.” He might have too much self-esteem now, she said. On Thursday, Dinell caught the game-winning pass to lead South Carolina’s Special Olympic Flag Football Team, the Assassins, of Sumter, to a

BY BRISTOW MARCHANT bmarchant@theitem.com (803) 774-1272

Trying to move past, comprehend the unexplainable First responders discuss processing of suicides, followup for threats, attempts

When emergency workers respond to a suicide threat or attempt, they treat the person as fast as possible, both medically and psychologically. “If we respond to a scene and the person is injured from their attempt, we treat them,” said Kathy Hall of Sumter County EMS. “If they’ve got cuts, we get to work on bandaging and treating the wounds. If they’ve taken pills, we start ap-

plying IV drips and other emergency treatment.” If EMS workers are lucky, they arrive before any attempt is made. In such instances, law enforcement and EMS interview the subject to help assess their needs. “If we get there and they’re still expressing a desire to kill themselves, we take them to the hospital,” Hall said. “Numerous paths develop from that point.” “We don’t need consent from family to take them in for treatment,” Dailey said. “If they made the call and still act like they’re determined to do something drastic when we ar-

rive, we can lawfully take them at that point.” Once that person gets to the hospital, he or she is administered a psychological evaluation by an on-duty psychiatric nurse to determine their state of mind, which is followed by further investigation from a physician. Some spend days or weeks in the hospital. Others might be released within hours if the physician determines he or she is stable enough to be released. “If it seems to be a longlasting issue, the patient is referred to the mental health

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Editor’s Note: This story is the second part of an in-depth look at how law enforcement, EMS and other emergency responders process threats, attempts or the commission of suicide.

either determine a cause of death, treat those who have not succumbed to their injuries or get help for someone with suicidal thoughts.

BY ROB COTTINGHAM rcottingham@theitem.com (803) 774-1225 Responding to suspected cases of suicide or calls from those who are threatening to follow through with the tragic act can be rather traumatic for first responders. However, emergency workers still have a job to do. Once they’ve arrived, it’s time to

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‘Everyone’s left with this guilt and the questions about how and why it happened. It can be so much tougher on the families to know their loved one chose to take their own life.’

TREATMENT FOR THE LIVING

SEE SUICIDES, PAGE A5

Periods of sun with a thunderstorm during the day; mostly cloudy and humid at night. HIGH 91, LOW 71

HARVIN BULLOCK Sumter County Coroner

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June 22, 2014 by The Sumter Item - Issuu