After a trip to Mexico and talking to the Firefighters over there, or "Bomberos" as they call themselves, I became curious as to know...

How many of you have ever been faced with a language barrier, and how did it affect the incident?

What do you do if you're faced with someone who speaks little to no English in an emergency, who do you call?

Does your department carry those quick reference sheets made specially for EMS and Fire?

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well not that big.. Hartford, CT
Don't worry the old cranky ones will die off soon - and then this country will be at least 10 languages.

times change... blacks could not vote - now they can... and women could not vote - now they can...

rich, white men may want English - but soon they will be the minority - consider language skills to be one more tool in your tool box. Some of those writing in these pages are describing how they feel that English is the most COMMON & USEFUL & NECESSARY tool in the U.S.

- Where I live it is 40% English, 40% Spanish, 20% Asian languages most commonly used - and where I grew up it was 80% English and 20% French - so you just keep learning. AND WE KNOW THAT MOST PEOPLE REVERT TO THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE WHEN THEY ARE UPSET OR INJURED - SO IF ENGLISH IS NOT THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE, THEY WILL PROBABLY NEED PATIENT CARE IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE

just learn and grow... learn and grow... learn all you can to provide the best service you can provide to as many people as you can. If you live in an area which uses any languages that you are not proficient in - it gives you room to learn and grow.

don't take the rich, white men attitude personally - cause God knows it will exhaust you

but I do wish this website had a spell-check feature to click to review what we write before we hit "save"
Plenty of Jamaicans in the City, The great mayority speak English anyway.
you are right.. but I just don't see anything wrong with knowing, or wanting to learn.. weather is languages or skills it just makes you better. I have meet many people and seen good and bad, but in the end we all bleed and we all die. Thanks for your reply, you seem like a cool Lady :0)
Funny thing happened years ago. We had a MVC in front of the high school. I got off the rescue and the EMT was talking to this young black kid who was freaking out inside the car. He was saying "calm down buddy, it will be okay, we're here to help" but nothing worked. I walked up and said "Yo chill son, we got you" and you could see him visibily relax. The EMT just looked at me all crazy.
Hello
I live in a region (Algarve), which is much sought after by foreign tourism. Due to excellent beaches and temperatures in the summer the population of the region comes to duplicating. Most are, Germans, British, Dutch, Spanish, and French, but also met American Fireman, a few American tourists. In the Algarve we firefighters are sensitized to the issue of language barrier, I dare say that the percentage of firefighters who speak English is high, French and German I have no idea. The biggest problem we face in everyday life, the relief is with the emigrants from the east (Russia, Moldova, Ukraine), and Chinese. A large percentage do not speak Portuguese, not English ... ... because if they spoke English less evil, it becomes difficult or almost impossible, in medical emergencies to know the clinical history, allergies, medications and complaints and so on. .
Stay safe
Oui, quand les gens parlent la merde - vous vraiment n'avez pas besoin d'écouter. La plupart des personnes juste ne répondent pas à quelqu'un quand ce quelqu'un est moyen.

Veuillez savoir que les gens seul parlent pour eux-mêmes - ils ne parlent pas pour nous dans l'ensemble le groupe - ainsi joignent les conversations qui apprécient ce que vous devez offrir et ignorez le repos.

Vieux le grincheux est la minorité sur cet emplacement.


Yes Mitchell, when people are talking shit - you really don't need to listen. Most people just don't respond to someone when that someone is being mean.

Please know that people are speaking for themselves alone - they are not speaking for us as a whole group - so join conversations that do appreciate what you have to offer and ignore the rest.
Dang I only speck engrish and I anit got no lernin! ;o)
Hell we all will be saying idk, bff, idc and all the text crap in ten years to talk to are kids in person.
I swear I think all the young guys on are dept have text only phones to see me blow my top. Twenty minutes of texting for five seconds of conversation. AHHHHH Or my favorite line "Send me a text if we get something and don't forget to tell me where it's at".
Oh I forgot the, LOL
I would like to take the rich, white man thing personally. Cause the poor, white man thing is not fun at all. I want to try the rich thing.
I am WICKED COOL - no matter what the rest of them on this site tell you !!!
LOLOLOLOLOL - text me if we get something - LOLOLOLOLOL - that's funny right there, I don't care who ya are !!!

yes, poor white rich man - sucks

maybe after the economic crisis you can move up a financial class or two and then take my comment much more personally ;-)
Prejudice is one of my BIGGEST pet peeves.
Hi Mitchell
There in your FD, firefighters Luso descendants?

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