Print Issue: November 7, 2002

Benefit To Help Atlanta Firefighters Learn Emergency Spanish

Battalion chief John McNeil wants his 100-member firefighters' battalion to study emergency vocabulary and basic phrases in Spanish so they can communicate in crisis situations.

By Priscilla Greear, Staff Writer

ATLANTA - Firefighter John McNeil knows firsthand the dire need for Spanish classes in the Atlanta Fire Department to save lives of Spanish-speaking Georgia residents.

On one emergency medical call, the battalion chief struggled to get information from a Hispanic woman having chest pains and trouble breathing. He had to rely on her granddaughter to translate the patient's medical history.

"Trying to relegate that to the child, a lot gets lost in the translation," said McNeil, a member of St. Jude's Church, Atlanta. "We've got a lot of catching up to do in learning about the Hispanic community and culture . . . There's no program at this time. We're trying to get some kind of training so that we can get the firefighters situated to better understand the Hispanic culture and be able to communicate in emergency situations."

The Hispanic population in metro Atlanta increased over 995 percent between 1980 and 2000. As McNeil and other firefighters serve increasing numbers of people who speak Spanish, at every place from construction sites to interstates, often only the youngest speak English.

"It's very crippling, trying to determine in a car accident what's your medical history. Unless there's a child around, you pretty much resort to charades to try to understand what's going on. We can't be as effective," he said. In fatal accidents "trying to console people and talking to them about what's going on and about the other passengers in the car is very difficult. It's a bad enough situation, but complicated further with not being able to communicate very well."

From these experiences, McNeil, who hopes to build on three years of high school Spanish, began trying to raise money to bring language instruction to his 100-person battalion. He said the Atlanta Fire Department has only three Spanish-speaking firefighters out of 1,000 employees.

He approached the Georgia Hispanic Network, a professional networking group, about raising funds to buy the "Command Spanish" 16-hour instruction. The program, which would cost $2,500 to supply manuals just for his battalion, has a format to teach firefighters basic emergency vocabulary and phrases, and is used in the Atlanta Police Department. He is also considering another Atlanta-based program called "1,000 Spanish Commands."

GHN has agreed to donate a portion of the proceeds from its GHNet Celebration and Art Exhibit, to be held Nov. 16 at the Renaissance Hotel downtown. The dinner dance is a fund-raiser to establish professional development programs and community-outreach and provide an avenue to highlight Hispanic professionals and their positive impact on Georgia. GHN also challenges other organizations to sponsor the Spanish instruction project.

Board member Priscilla Nieves said the second time the fire department approached GHN the board was planning the fund-raiser. "We decided it would be a worthy cause and certainly an important one to include our firefighters . . . That, in fact, became our community outreach program for the year."

Nieves, a member of St. Michael's Church, Woodstock, encouraged Catholics, both Hispanic and non-Hispanic, to come to the event and support the firefighters, and to consider getting involved in the group.

"Networking is the most important and effective way of securing a position in a company. For professional, social and cultural development, it's a great way (for professionals) to extend their reach beyond where they work and live with other Hispanics, the great majority of whom are Catholic," said Nieves, a native of Puerto Rico.

Led by president Jerry Gonzalez, a legislative analyst with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, membership has grown this year to almost 100, including Hispanic lawyers, educators, sales persons, accountants, engineers, bankers and journalists.

The fund-raiser celebrates the year's success and aspires to raise scholarship funds and begin mentoring programs for Hispanic high school and college students.

State senator-elect Sam Zamarripa, the first Hispanic to be elected state senator and a GHN founding member, will be the keynote speaker. An art exhibit open to the public from 4-7 p.m. will showcase works by some of Atlanta's finest Hispanic artists and a block of the AIDS Memorial Quilt hosted by the Names Project Foundation. Some art will be available for purchase. Cocktails will be served at 7 p.m., followed by a three-course dinner at 8 p.m. and then music by a popular Hispanic band and dancing.

McNeil looks forward to attending the event and is hopeful regarding the partnership.

As they gain better understanding, McNeil said, the department needs more Hispanic firemen. "That's the next challenge, to see how we can make it more attractive."

Tickets are $60 for GHN members and one guest, and $85 for non-members and guests. To make a reservation, e-mail info@georgiahispanicnetwork.org. Checks payable to Georgia Hispanic Network for the dinner may be sent to 1754 Emory Ridge Drive, Atlanta 30329. Donations to the fire department project may be sent to the same address, payable to GHN and earmarked for the fire department. For information visit www.GeorgiaHispanicNetwork.org.