Chemical suicide is a growing problem around the world. This form of suicide originated in Japan, but is now growing rapidly in the United States in recent years. People who commit this type of suicide seek to kill themselves and may also want to harm or kill first responders in the process. This endangers a large number of people in the immediate area where the chemicals are located. These situations may not be clear to first responders upon arrival and could result in injury or death if they do not wear appropriate personal protective equipment. Chemical suicides became prevalent in the United States around 2008. Since then, the number of suicides has increased more rapidly as the years pass. These forms of suicide began in Japan. Thousands of cases of chemical suicides have been reported. This problem became known around 2007 and has continued to increase since then. This form of suicide originating in Japan became known in the United States through the use of the Internet. “In 2008 in the United States, first responders responded to three incidents; in 2009, there were nine incidents; in 2010, there were more than 30 incidents. (Oreshan III/Stevens, 2011). The numbers from 2010 to present have also increased. These figures only represent recorded chemical suicides. There are still a large number of unreported chemical suicides in the United States and the number continues to increase. “Chemical suicide, sometimes called detergent suicide, involves mixing common household chemicals to create deadly hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas, which can quickly reach lethal concentrations. in confined spaces. (Oreshan III/Stevens, 2011). This gas is colorless and also gives off a very bad sulfur smell. ...... middle of paper ...... If started very soon after the person is exposed, it will be most effective. To summarize, chemical suicide has been a rapidly growing problem in the United States since 2008. When first responders respond to a call regarding a possible chemical suicide, they should all approach with extreme caution and pay attention to their environment. It is very important to think about the assessment, isolation and protection of the fire scene. It is very important to look around the scene for open containers and buckets that could possibly be inside the car or building. There will be many different agencies on site, which will only increase the number of people who may be injured or need to be decontaminated. Being cautious, knowing the signs of chemical suicide, and being prepared to handle the situation at a moment's notice are very important factors that first responders need to think about on a daily basis...