Summary
Q: How are 911 dispatchers handling language barriers in rural communities?
A: In many rural areas across the U.S., 911 dispatchers are turning to professional emergency interpretation services to ensure clear communication with non-English-speaking callers in high-stakes situations.
Q: Are phone translation apps reliable for emergency calls?
A: No. Consumer translation apps often struggle with speed, accuracy, and dialect variation. Live 911 interpretation services provide trained interpreters who can manage urgent calls in real time without confusion or delay.
Q: What are the benefits of real-time interpretation for emergency response teams?
A: Real-time access to interpreters helps dispatchers respond faster, ask the right questions, and provide life-saving instructions, improving outcomes and building trust in multilingual communities.
Real-Time Interpretation Is Becoming a Lifeline for First Responders
On a rainy night in Southwest City, a remote town in McDonald County, Missouri, a crash occurs on a winding road. Dispatchers race against the clock to locate the caller and assess the situation, but they're met with a critical challenge: the caller doesn't speak English.
"I've worked multiple wrecks where the people can't speak English," said Julie Schooley, the lead dispatcher for McDonald County 911.
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In this rural corner of southwest Missouri, language barriers once meant delays in emergency response. Now, dispatchers can instantly connect with a professional interpreter, ensuring clear communication and immediate care.
McDonald County isn't like the rest of Missouri. It's home to one of the state's highest percentages of non-English-speaking residents. According to census data, roughly 15% of residents speak a language other than English at home, and that number skyrockets in certain communities.
"I would say 40% of our calls would be [non-English speaking], and that’s give or take, especially in the southwestern part of the county," said Deputy Travis Sheppard of the McDonald County Sheriff’s Office.
To bridge this gap, dispatchers initially tried translation apps. But these quick fixes fell apart under pressure, especially when speed and accuracy were paramount.
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"We’ve tried language translation apps on the phone, but depending on the culture and how they talk—if you talk too fast, it’ll mess up the words and then it just doesn’t make any sense," said Noel City Marshal Randy Wilson, whose town is right near the Arkansas border.
Without a reliable way to interpret 911 calls, vital information could be lost at the worst possible moment.
To overcome these challenges, McDonald County partnered with LanguageLine, integrating professional 911 interpretation into their emergency response protocols. The service is available in more than 240 languages.
“They’ll get on there and connect to ask the questions, and we will tell them what we need to know and then they’ll interpret it for us,” Schooley said.
I would say 40% of our calls would be [non-English speaking]." - Deputy Travis Sheppard of the McDonald County Sheriff’s Office
With voice-to-voice interpreting, dispatchers can now handle multilingual calls with confidence and accuracy, ensuring callers get the help they need without a moment's delay.
“We’re going to use every tool we can to make sure the job is done properly,” Sheppard said.
With LanguageLine in place, McDonald County 911 has transformed the way it responds to language barriers.
Calls that once stalled due to confusion now proceed with clarity, as dispatchers no longer rely on faulty apps or makeshift solutions. Instead, they have a purpose-built, professional service designed for emergency situations.
The result is faster response times, better-informed decisions, and improved outcomes for callers who speak limited or no English.
LanguageLine is proud to support public safety agencies like McDonald County 911 in delivering life-saving services to every caller. Our emergency interpretation services are built for speed, accuracy, and trust.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation so we can learn more about your emergency communications center and its language needs. We can also be reached at 1-800-752-6096.
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