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When Dustine McCormack's grandfather took his own life in Monticello about 40 years ago, her grandmother packed up four kids, sold the family farm and fled to Salt Lake City, where she kept the details of the death a secret for decades.

"We didn't talk about it," said McCormack, who attempted to take her own life at age 17. "Suicide is a hard thing to talk about, but the more we talk about it, the more we normalize it and the healthier we become."

McCormack now is the education coordinator for the Utah chapter of American Foundation for Suicide Prevention () and was one of two volunteers who led a four-hour "safeTALK" suicide awareness training at Salt Lake City's downtown library on Saturday.

The training's goal is to turn a community's citizens into an army of "suicide alert helpers" equipped with the right tools to identify the signs of suicide risk and connect the person in need with the right resources.

The training's moniker — safeTALK — is an acronym that seeks to guide the way.

The letters in "safe" stand for "suicide awareness for everyone," serving as a reminder that in every community, "suicide is everyone's business," McCormack said.

"TALK" translates into actions the actions tell, ask, listen and keep safe.

For helpers and those in crisis, that breaks down this way: Those in crisis should tell someone they are thinking about suicide; and helpers should ask specifically if someone is considering suicide, listen with careful compassion and work to keep the person safe.

That could mean doing something like making a three-way call to a crisis line or removing the means, such as drugs or firearms, that someone might use to harm themselves, said Jessica Foard, co-trainer and AFSA-Utah communications coordinator.

"It is not your job to literally save their life," said Foard, who lost her father to suicide at age 16." It's your job to help them find a caregiver that can help them save their own life."

Founded in 1987, ASFP supports scientific research, provides educational programs, survivor support and engages in public policy advocacy about suicide prevention and awareness.

Utah's chapter was founded seven years ago and provides training to schools, police and fire agencies, medical providers, churches, government agencies and community groups statewide, McCormack said.

The all-volunteer organization also holds annual "Out of the Darkness" suicide awareness walks — this year planned for each Saturday in September in Richfield, Salt Lake City, St. George and Vernal.

"The more we're out there, the more people are asking for training," she said.

McCormack chalks up interest in training to the sad reality of suicide in communities far and wide.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics from 2014, the most recent available, rank suicide as the second-leading cause of death nationwide for ages 10 to 25 and the fourth for those between ages 36 and 54.

Utah state health statistics released in 2016 ranked suicide as the leading cause of death among ages 10 to 17 — more than double the national rate.

"We are talking about it more and that's a beautiful thing," McCormack said. "There are ways to keep our minds healthy and strong and way to live with mental illness and fully productive, prosperous lives."

Kandy Kutkas came to Saturday's training from Oakley and said she got a little uncomfortable when participants were asked to go through a role playing exercise; she danced around both, asking and answering the critical question, "Are you thinking about suicide?"

"Even though this is practice and we were in a safe environment, it was very hard for me to get to that point," said Kutkas, 50, who lost her brother to suicide 14 years ago.

Part of her discomfort might stem from the "don't be nosy" way Kutkas said she was raised.

"I don't want to pry that much," she said.

Her training partner John Peppinger, who lost a friend to suicide, was more direct. It was the second question he asked.

"If people were more direct in communicating, we'd find out that everyone has some relationship to someone who has died by suicide," said Peppinger, who works in student affairs for a local university.

Both said they came away from the four-hour training feeling better prepared to address the issue if and when they cross paths with someone in crisis.

It's OK to be scared, Foard told trainees near the end of the session, because suicide is serious business. Being nosy might help you save a life.

"It's terrifying, but don't let that fear stop you," she said. "Be nosy. That's your job now." —

How you can help

For help in a crisis, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention suggests the following resources:

Emergency rescue assistance • 911.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline • 1-800-273-8255.

LGBT Trevor Lifeline • 1-866-488-7386.

Crisis Teen Text Line • Text "LISTEN" to 741-741.

The Utah chapter of AFSP is on Facebook at fb.com/AFSPUtah.