First Responders: Language Obstacles Are 'No Problemo'

The pockets are emptied, the cuffs click on. It's time for a phrase any self-respecting "Cops" fan can recite by heart.

But there's a twist.

"Usted tiene el derecho de guardar silenceo ..."

Those are the opening lines of the Miranda Rights (of "You have the right to remain silent" fame) in Spanish. It's one way first responders in both the fire and law enforcement fields communicate in unique situations.

Typically, there are simple ways to get around both language barriers and hearing/speaking disabilities.

"Basically, we try to do the best we can," said Frank DeFrancesco, assistant chief of Hernando County Fire Rescue.

In medical situations, there's usually a bystander or family member nearby who can interpret or explain the emergency. The fire engines also have a "cheat sheet" with Spanish phrases to help.

The body has a way of speaking for itself too, says Spring Hill Fire Rescue Chief Mike Rampino.

The patterns generated by a brain/heart monitor, or oxygen saturation levels in the blood, can give paramedics a good picture of what's wrong.

"It's the same concept with someone who is unconscious," Rampino said.

Most of the people who are deaf or hard of hearing are adept at reading lips or carry a portable writing pad. When calling in emergencies, dispatchers can communicate with the deaf by typing words on a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf.

Other agencies around the country rely on flash cards to get their point across. Hernando County's first responders do not.

In a line of work that can quickly tailspin into a life or death situation, communication is vital to controlling a situation. That's the inspiration for the "Alert Words" portion of an online Spanish tutorial created by school teacher Kendal Kentemann.

Kentemann launched spanishonpatrol.com in October 2005, as a way for EMS and law enforcement to direct suspects to the ground and ask "where does it hurt?" in Spanish.

Feedback from law enforcement around the country prompted her to post 180 alert words, such as "kill him," "when he becomes careless," "when she turns around."

The street slang is compiled from multiple dialects so officers can keep an ear out for suspicious terms.

"The need is growing," Kentelmann said. "I do see officers very engaged in learning language."