SOUTH BRUNSWICK — Another life was saved in South Brunswick, this time with the help of a new language service.
At 10 a.m. June 7, a woman in need of help called 911 from a cell phone. Unable to ascertain the victim’s location or problem, the dispatcher connected to the Interpretalk translation system, used by the South Brunswick Police Department since March.
The translator was able to assist the dispatcher with identifying the location of the victim within two minutes of being on the call. Police and EMS arrived on the scene and transported the victim, who had suffered a heart attack, to a local hospital, where she is listed in good condition, according to a press release.
Interpretalk allows dispatchers and officers to be able to communicate in 157 languages at any time of any day. Since its inception, the service has been used seven times in the township.
“Our community is diverse, and we want to be able to assist anyone in need. This new tool gives officers and dispatchers another way to get help to people in need in an emergency,” Chief Raymond Hayducka said. “This case clearly demonstrates the importance of being able to reach out to all aspects of our community.”
The service is used when a dispatcher or officer believes there is a language barrier. The dispatcher contacts Language Service Associates, who provide the translation.