Dear editor:
While Wyoming braces for another wildfire season, another kind of fire is already raging deep into the heart of the Cowboy State. Firearm suicide is stealing loved ones and neighbors from communities across Wyoming. Just like the worst wildfires, this is a fire we can fight and win.
The latest finalized data from the CDC shows Wyoming had the highest rate of gun suicide in the nation – more than twice the national average and ten times higher than Massachusetts, the state with the lowest rate. Montana, Alaska, and Idaho follow closely behind.
It’s no coincidence. These are also the states with the highest levels of gun ownership. If you’re reading this in Wyoming, chances are you’re one of the thousands of people who own a gun for hunting, ranch work, or protection. That firearm serves an important purpose. But it can also add fuel to this silent fire.
Some may argue that suicide is only a mental health issue, and the method is irrelevant. As a psychiatrist I see otherwise every day. I know the difference between a hospital visit and a funeral is often the presence of a gun. In Wyoming, more than 70 percent of fatal suicides involve a firearm.
I meet with people across the country promoting solutions to firearm suicide. What many people don’t realize is this: most suicide attempts are survived. Even more surprising to many, very few suicide attempt survivors die by suicide later. They get help. They recover. They go on to live meaningful lives. But when someone attempts suicide with a gun, 9 out of 10 don’t get that chance.
Last year’s wildfires scorched more than 800,000 acres in Wyoming, but thankfully no lives were lost. Meanwhile, 116 Wyomingites died by firearm suicide in 2023. That’s one neighbor every three days. If wildfires were killing that many people, we wouldn’t hesitate to act. So what can we do?
It starts at home.
If you own a firearm to protect your family, one of the best ways to do that is through safe storage. Use a lockbox or a cable lock. If someone in your household is struggling or at risk of suicide, store firearms outside the home temporarily, with a trusted friend or relative, until things stabilize.
There are also proven policy tools. While progress in Cheyenne can be slow, we know that public health laws save lives.
Measures like Extreme Risk Protection Orders (also known as red flag laws) are effective at preventing firearm suicide. It gives family members, law enforcement, and doctors a way to get guns away from someone who might want to harm themself or others until they get help. These laws are already preventing suicides in other states and they can work here too.
A combination of issues contributes to this crisis. Wyoming’s wide-open spaces can feel isolating, and challenges like alcohol abuse and limited mental health care facilities are the drought and strong winds fueling this fire. Guns are the spark.
Like fighting a wildfire, preventing suicide takes preparation, the right tools, and neighbors looking out for each other. Talk to your legislators – make sure they know how we can save lives. We can protect our communities and keep our loved ones safe, starting today.
Sincerely,
Paul Nestadt, MD
Nestadt is a core faculty member at the Center for Gun Violence Solutions and Medical Director of the Center for Suicide Prevention at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
