Second Suicide In Three Weeks On Montgomery County SEPTA Line Raises Concerns

Two suicides in the past three weeks on the Lansdale/Doylestown line have raised concerns in the community and reminded residents of an unpleasant trend.

On Tuesday morning, 40-year-old Deanna Posavec stepped in front of the tracks at about 6 a.m. between the North Wales and Gwynedd Valley stops.

And in late June, the same thing happened to 48-year-old Nancy Berry just north of the Ambler station near the intersection of Mt. Pleasant and Railroad Avenues.

SEPTA, in February, posted signs with the Suicide Prevention Lifeline -1-800-273-TALK (8255) - at many of their stations. The hotline is available 24 hours a day.

The signage placed at SEPTA stations across the region is due to a partnership with Montgomery County Emergency Services.

“The partnership with SEPTA and MCES is natural,” Scott Sauer, SEPTA’s Chief Officer of System Safety said in a statement. “Approximately 50 percent of the fatalities on SEPTA’s rail system each year are ruled suicides. By placing the Lifeline signs at our stations, we believe that people who might think suicide is their only option will see that help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.”

There were 11 suicides along the tracks and 2011, according to ABC News, numbers which originally sparked SEPTA into taking action.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, over 8,000 deaths - suicides and accidents - have occurred in the past 18 years.

Up to half of that number are suicides, according to Philly.com.

In the wake of Tuesday’s incident, residents expressed grief for both Posavec, her friends, and family, and the conductor of the train.

The MCES crisis call center answers approximately 4,500 calls each year around the country.