N.C. Paramedics, Firefighters Use Spanish Translation-Emergency Cards

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Winston-Salem firefighters are using these cards to translate words and phrases when they are speaking with Hispanic residents at fires and emergency medical calls.

The city has received national recognition for its Spanish translation-emergency cards that Winston-Salem firefighters use to overcome language barriers with Hispanic residents.

The National League of Cities recognized the city’s use of the cards last month in its report, “Public Safety Programs for the Immigrant Community.” The league noted 16 other cities for their programs involving public safety and immigrants.

The cards were created in 2000 in the fire department, said Jazmine Kilpatrick, the department’s senior community educator. Every firetruck in the agency’s 20 fire stations carries the cards.

The cards didn’t cost much to produce, Kilpatrick said.Each firetruck carries six cards printed in English and Spanish. The cards translate useful words and phrases that firefighters use when they are speaking with Hispanic residents at fires and emergency medical calls.

One card has a picture of a human body for residents to point to specific body parts. This helps firefighters determine if someone has an injury. Another card has words and phrases that firefighter or a paramedic can use when speaking to women in labor, Kilpatrick said. The cards are yellow for information, blue for medical and green for women in labor.

Local administrators interviewed firefighters to learn which phrases were most important for firefighters to use at fires and other emergencies involving Hispanic residents, the league’s report said. The cards are updated with suggested phrases from firefighters.

The National League of Cities, which is based in Washington, lobbies Congress on the behalf of 19,000 cities, towns and villages in the country.

In Winston-Salem, there are 33,753 Hispanic residents, according to the 2010 census. That represents 15 percent of the city’s population.

City statistics show that 68 percent of 230 city firefighters are white men and 27 percent are black men. Less than 2 percent are American Indian or Hispanic men. White women are 2 percent of the firefighters. Black women represented less than 1 percent.

Ricardo Gambetta, the league’s manager for its immigrant-integration program, said the fire department’s cards are practical and important tools to improve community relations between firefighters and residents who are recent immigrants to the city.

“It is a very simple and effective program,” Gambetta said. “It can be replicated in other cities.”

Miriam Hernandez is the owner and founder of Hispanic Interaction of Winston-Salem, which promotes understanding between the city’s Hispanic community and local companies, government agencies, churches, nonprofit groups and other residents.

Hernandez said the Spanish translation-emergency cards are helpful.

“Cards like these can at least give firefighters and the person going through the emergency information and immediate assistance rather waiting for a translator,” Hernandez said. “It’s better than nothing.”