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Language Barrier
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?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Gregory Borg on
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Paul, come on. How about if someone has just legaly immegrated and has been here one day. Do they have to get out? Do they get a few days to learn? Let's say a family legaly immigrates and grandma comes with them from Italy, she only speaks Italian, she is 89. Does she have to learn English or get out? Your statement is ridicules, my wife's family came here from Sweden in 1890, there was a neighborhood in Spokane in 1910 where all of the Swedes lived, the grade school in that neihborhood taught all the classes in school in Swedish except English class. Right here in America, the teachers taught school in Swedish, so the kids could learn. Or should they have gotten out? My Dad's family came from Denmark, to a town in Utah that was all, yes all Danes. They spoke Danish in school, at work, at church, everywhere. After WWII the church in town decided it was time to start speaking English, so they changed. They had been there since 1850, 90 years speaking Danish. Should they have left? Get real, there are hundreds of languages in the world and hundreds spokane here in America by Americans. Does it bother you that someone can speak more languages than you? Why should they leave if they do not speak english? Millions have emigrated without speaking English, most learn to use the language some do not. They are still Americans and have the right to stay here reguardless of your helmet sticker. Your comment is close minded, ignorant and not very thoughtful. Add some understanding to your ability to speak one language.
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Permalink Reply by Ron Ayotte on
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Montpetit... "little hill" en Francaise.
My great grandparents came to the US from Quebec to work in the mills. They spoke very little English. My grandparents spoke a combination of French and English called "Franglish".. they would go from French to English and back to French.. sometime in mid sentence.
We have no established national language... if we did it would probably be Algonquian.. the native tongue of the orginal settlers here... the Native Americans.
The Algonquian name for my community is Okammakamesit... which was also the name given to one of the City's hand tubs when the MFD was organized in 1855.
English is one of the most difficult languages to master.. as evidenced by some of the grammar, syntax and spelling one can find here on any given forum..
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Permalink Reply by Mick Mayers on
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No problema. Hablo un poqueno de espanol. jaja
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I only know one phase in French (other than the obvious "Voulez-vous avec moi?"). Jeune se pas. Isn't that "I don't know"? Oui?
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Paul, I failed to mention a few other Americans that do not speak English as a first language. The Pennsylvania Dutch/Germans, the Cajuns/French in Louisiana, the Mexicans that were in Texas before it was America and are still there and of course the few Native Americans that still speak their own tong. Should they leave America? Because I assure you they are Americans.
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Permalink Reply by Fabulous Heather Days of Summer on
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yeah, so there...
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Permalink Reply by John Dobson on
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We had a incident a few weeks back where a worker was ran over by a farm wagon. When he was being transported after we were done a probie on are department was chatting up a storm with the guys buddy. I ask you can speak spanish?, Yep he replied. Nice to know after everything was said and done.
Ahh probies sometimes you want to choke them. LOL
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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Actually Montpetit is "Little Mountain" but it depends on the region you are from some say it means "My little One"....My French has gone down hill...about all I can do now is a few cuss words and the basics.....BUT we are in the USA...only languafe I need to know is English....Push 1 for English....Push 2 to get the hell out......
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I can point to the fire and yell get the F_ck out..!!!! I bet they will understand very well......LOL
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Isn't that special.....I bet your Boot camp instructors spoke Spanish to you all the time.....right..?? and did you take your oath when joining the service in Spanish...?
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Permalink Reply by marc loreas on
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Je n'ai pas joint ce site pour écouter des gens comme vous, et je pense que vous avez besoin d'être traité comme un spécial a besoin de la personne.
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Looks like some people here prefer personal attacks over common sense conversation, I am not going to follow this post anymore, Grow up!
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