Across Texas, need grows for bilingual 911 call-takers

When El Pasoans in distress dial 911, they can ask for help in English, Spanish or both. To better serve the predominantly Hispanic region, the city has required its 911 call-takers to understand — and clearly and concisely speak — both languages since 1989.

“When we answer the phone, we need to be able to understand what the emergency is and ask the appropriate questions to get them the help they need,” said Monica Puga, human resources manager for the city’s Fire Department.

In an increasingly diverse state that is already majority-minority, El Paso’s bilingual requirement is apparently unique.

State officials, 911 organizations and other stakeholders could not point to another Texas city or county that requires call-takers to be fluent in English and Spanish.

In Fort Worth, as in most other Texas cities, bilingual call-taker candidates are preferred.

The highest need is likely found along the border and in urban cores like Houston and Dallas with high rates of immigrants unlikely to be fluent English speakers, State Demographer Lloyd Potter said.

As of 2013, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that 25 percent of Harris County’s population was foreign-born. Of those, 61 percent spoke English less than “very well.”

An estimated 23 percent of Dallas County’s population was foreign-born in 2013, and 63 percent of that population spoke English less than “very well.”

But adequately staffing 911 call centers after background investigations, testing and vetting is already a challenge, let alone when bilingual requirements are added, said Beth English, president of the Texas chapter of the National Emergency Number Association.

Though it’s not a hiring requirement, Joe Laud, administration manager for the Houston Emergency Center, said most of his emergency telecommunicators, who answer about 9,000 calls a day, are bilingual.

In Dallas, the Police Department encourages bilingual applicants, and they are “definitely preferred,” but bilingual skills are not mandatory, Sgt. Alejandro Coss said.

Emergency call centers without bilingual telecommunicators rely on Language Line, a round-the-clock translation service that charges counties and cities by the minute.

Emergency assistance providers say it takes about 30 to 40 seconds for an English-speaking 911 operator to connect with a Language Line interpreter or translator on a three-way line with the caller.

This story was originally published July 1, 2015 at 10:17 AM with the headline "Across Texas, need grows for bilingual 911 call-takers."