Sumner County emergency responders get translation line but don't use it

Translators on call for "just about every language imaginable"

Not used in 2 of first 3 months

The Tennessean reports here that Sumner County emergency responders were given a translation line about three months ago, but use is minimal:

Although Sumner County's Emergency 911 Board is paying $100 a month to provide for language translation services for emergency responders, director Buddy Shaffer says the service is going largely unused.

"On my bills for the last two months, it hasn't shown where they made a call on it," Shaffer said.

The program, implemented about three months ago, makes it possible for dispatchers, police officers or other emergency responders dealing with a non-English speaking person to call translators fluent in just about every language imaginable, Shaffer said.
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Shaffer said he wants to make the translation service easier to use.
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With an influx of immigrants in the county, the service is becoming even more important every day to provide timely emergency response, Shaffer said.

Photo by Selva Morales. Licensed under Creative Commons.