Tracy Stark, who has set up a support group for suicide on the West Coast with her daughter Shinayee.

The number of suicides on the West Coast is "four times the national average", a local fire chief says.

Community leaders are rallying to raise awareness about the "silent killer" after a spate of suspected suicides.

Runanga fire chief Gavin Gibbens​ has attended five suspected suicides in the last 18 months.

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The town, just north of Greymouth, has a population of about 1200.

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"The fact that there are more suicides in New Zealand than deaths from drowning and car crashes combined means our fire brigade are more likely to attend a suicide than a motor vehicle accident," he said.

JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/FAIRFAX NZ The small West Coast town of Runanga, as viewed from the air.

Greymouth woman Tracy Stark said she knew of nine people who have died as a result of suicide since Christmas. They were either her friends or her children's friends, she said.

Stark has set up an online support group and launched a petition calling for wider reporting on suicide deaths in the media.

"We as a nation need to stand up.

"Suicide needs to come to light. Families need to grieve like any other," she said.

The Coroner's Act 2006 restricts reporting on individual suicides. A recent bill passed allowing media to refer to a death as a suspected suicide. If the coroner's investigation finds the death was self-inflicted, few details can be published, unless the coroner makes exemptions.

She said she had witnessed the "devastating effect" of suicides, often exacerbated by the subject being taboo.

"I know mums who have been hushed up from speaking to the media," she said.

Stark said the West Coast did not have enough mental health, substance abuse and anger management services.

"It's an epidemic. I'm sick of suicides. I'm sick of burying people," she said.

According to provisional statistics, there were 564 suicides between June 2014 and July 2015 – seven on the West Coast.

Gibbens described suicide as the "silent killer" and believed the lack of jobs on the West Coast was partly to blame.

"Alcohol and drugs exacerbates the situation . . . loss of identity in the town, relationships breaking down because of financial or drug and alcohol issues or violence," he said.

On Monday night, he held a meeting to discuss the issue with community leaders.

"It's a taboo thing to talk about but I am hoping we will put together a pamphlet about suicide awareness.," he said.

The local rugby league club had been affected by three suspected suicides, he said, and was joining with the fire service to deliver pamphlets to every house in the town.

He said friends and family needed to be aware of the signs.

"Sometimes people can become withdrawn but on the other hand they become overtly happy because they have a plan."

The suspected suicides were predominantly men, who were often too "staunch" to ask for help, he said.

Gibbens had enrolled the help of a bereavement support specialist to help firefighters know how to deal with grieving families in emergency situations.

"It's mothers and fathers finding their sons. We are walking into intense emotional anguish."

He believed there had been 12 suspected suicides on the West Coast in the past year.

"We have a population of 30,000-odd. Nationally the figures are one in 10,000, well we have four times the national average."

West Coast medical officer of health Cheryl Brunton said the district health board had suicide prevention and postvention plans.

The DHB was focused on providing training to help health professionals and first-line responders recognise signs that may lead to suicide attempts.

Stark's group, the West Coast Support Friend Watch, is organising a suicide awareness march in Greymouth on August 20.

WHERE TO GET HELP:

Lifeline (open 24/7) - 0800 543 354

Depression Helpline (open 24/7) - 0800 111 757

Healthline (open 24/7) - 0800 611 116

Samaritans (open 24/7) - 0800 726 666

Suicide Crisis Helpline (open 24/7) - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.

Youthline (open 24/7) - 0800 376 633. You can also text 234 for free between 8am and midnight, or email talk@youthline.co.nz

0800 WHATSUP children's helpline - phone 0800 9428 787 between 1pm and 10pm on weekdays and from 3pm to 10pm on weekends. Online chat is available from 7pm to 10pm every day at www.whatsup.co.nz.

Kidsline (open 24/7) - 0800 543 754. This service is for children aged 5 to 18. Those who ring between 4pm and 9pm on weekdays will speak to a Kidsline buddy. These are specially trained teenage telephone counsellors.

Your local Rural Support Trust - 0800 787 254 (0800 RURAL HELP)

Alcohol Drug Helpline (open 24/7) - 0800 787 797. You can also text 8691 for free.

For further information, contact the Mental Health Foundation's free Resource and Information Service (09 623 4812).