Be ready to save a life Published Oct. 29, 2013 By Staff Sgt. Michael Means 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- The base chapel hosted Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training Oct. 24 to 25, to instruct members of Team Fairchild to look for signs and to help someone who may be suicidal. The two-day course is a highly interactive, practical and practice-oriented workshop to help caregivers look for signs and help prevent those with an immediate risk of suicide. A major part of ASIST involves sharing experiences with suicide and attitudes regarding suicide. "It is a great chance for all involved to get to know each other and learn how our different attitudes and backgrounds can affect an intervention," said Tech Sgt. Bradley Barkhauer, 92nd Air Refueling Wing Base Chapel administrations and readiness NCO in charge. According to Chaplain (Capt.) Jeffrey Solheim, 92nd ARW, the ASIST workshop is for Team Fairchild community members who want to feel more comfortable, confident and competent in helping to prevent the immediate risk of suicide. The hands-on training scenarios teach wingmen how to connect, understand and assist a person who may have suicidal thoughts. The ASIST gives Airmen a model that helps them to engage individuals who may be contemplating suicide. "ASIST teaches people how to apply suicide 'first aid' to people at risk of suicide by showing them how to use the three phases of the intervention model of connecting, understanding and assisting," said Barkhauer. "Almost all people who come to ASIST come with great tools to help with suicide prevention, whether they know it or not. That is one of the great things about the class; you learn how to help others, but you also learn a bit about yourself and how your own attitudes and value can impact suicide first aid." Talking about suicide can seem taboo to some people, and ASIST takes away some of the stigma and gives Airmen a way to perform an intervention and be better wingmen, said Solheim. "The training teaches us how to identify people at risk of suicide, come to understand what they are going through and then get them to the help they need," said Barkhauer. "The goal is not to make all of us long term care givers, but rather to help people learn how they can extend a hand to people at risk and then connect them to the help they need." During the class, caregivers learn to connect and build trust by exploring invitations and asking about suicide directly. They learn to understand the struggles and journey of another as they listen to reasons for dying and living and complete a risk review. They learn to assist by developing a safety contract and following through with commitments. "My favorite part of teaching ASIST is watching the class apply the suicide intervention model during the training scenarios and role play," said Solheim. "During these times, I often see that light turn as they demonstrate that they understand the model." The next ASIST class will be Nov. 14 to 15. For more information about the program or to sign up, call the base chapel at 509-247-2264.