Language Service Helps Police Save a Life on Tuesday

A new communication program helped the South Brunswick Police Department save a life earlier this week.  

On Tuesday, South Brunswick Police utilized a language service called Interpretalk to help locate a victim who was suffering from a heart attack.

At approximately 10 a.m. a woman called 911 from her cellphone in need of help. Due to a language barrier, the dispatcher was unable to determine where the victim was located or what the problem was, police said.

The dispatcher connected to a translator through the Interpretalk program used by the department. The translator was then able to assist the dispatcher with identifying the location of the victim within about two minutes of being on the call, police said.

When officers and EMS arrived at the location, they found a 49-year-old victim suffering a heart attack. The victim was then rushed to a local area hospital and is listed in good condition, according to police. 

Interpretalk allows dispatchers and police officers to be able to communicate in 157 languages, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, said police spokesman Sgt. Jim Ryan.  The Interpretalk service, which has been available to South Brunswick Police since March, has been used seven times by the department, he added.

"Our community is diverse and we want to be able to assist anyone in need," said Chief Raymond Hayducka.  "This new tool gives officers and dispatchers another way to get help to people in need in an emergency.  This case clearly demonstrates the importance of being able to reach out to all aspects of our community." 

Sgt. Ryan said the service is used by police whenever a dispatcher or officer believes there is a language barrier. The dispatcher then contacts Language Service Associates who provide the translation.

"We could not understand where the victim was and her being on a cellphone made it more difficult," said Communication Center Supervisor James Deery. "The service Interpretalk provided was quick and provided the lifesaving measures she needed."