More Georgia emergency workers learning Spanish

ATLANTA - Georgia&#39;s rising Hispanic population is prompting more emergency service workers to learn Spanish or invest in translation services.<br> <br> In order to better help members of the state&#39;s fastest growing minority group, first responders are taking courses in ``Survival Spanish&#39;&#39; or using translators who work with 911 operators.<br> <br> ``It&#39;s getting a lot better,&#39;&#39; Elaine Sexton, 911 program administrator for the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, told Morris News Service.<br> <br> Hispanics represent about 500,000 or 6 percent of Georgia&#39;s population. But the number could be higher because of undocumented immigrants.<br> <br> While many Hispanics in the state speak English, there are some, especially in farming and textile communities, who know little English.<br> <br> One of the ways many counties have sought to address the issue is to contract with phone company AT Language Line Services, said David Murphy, chief of operations for Jackson County Emergency Medical Services.<br> <br> For a fee of $50 per month, a county&#39;s 911 operators have uninterrupted access to AT translation services, offering interpreters in more than 100 languages.<br> <br> ``We have counties that come on board every year and contract for these services because of the need that&#39;s out there,&#39;&#39; Murphy said.<br> <br> Statewide, about 95 percent of the calls roughly 800 to 1,000 monthly made to the language line are for Spanish translators.<br> <br> Lisa Ray, spokeswoman for the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, said her office recently hired its first Spanish-speaking public affairs worker, who will begin work in January.<br> <br> Ray noted her agency often relies on other groups, such as the American Red Cross, to provide bilingual materials and assistance in the aftermath of disasters like floods and tornadoes. But she said GEMA also encourages its staff to take a ``Survival Spanish&#39;&#39; course being offered by the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth.<br> <br> ``We focus on giving a command fast ... emphasizing phrases, not sentence structure,&#39;&#39; said Carlos Ortiz, a Spanish teacher at the training center. ``Every county in Georgia has Latinos in it now. An officer needs to be prepared to serve that segment of the community.&#39;&#39;

http://accesswdun.com/article/2004/12/145506