Reposted from FresnoStateNews.com – Read full story.
For emergency medical responders, a typical day on the job is anything but typical.
“I respond to 911 emergency calls in a very busy system,” said Travis McSherry, a critical care transport paramedic. “I provide a wide range of medical emergency care to people such as childbirth, mental health issues, multi-system trauma, general medical, respiratory and cardiac issues.”
McSherry works for American Ambulance, which covers most of Fresno and Kings counties.
According to United States Census 2018 American Community Survey, about 15 percent of residents in Fresno and Kings counties are Spanish speakers who speak little to no English*. For those emergency services professionals, trying to help a patient in an emergency while working through a language barrier can add to the complexity of the situation. In addition, COVID-19 has added to the overall stress.
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The Hub is a newly formed community space for language teaching, training and development. The center draws on the rich language resources of the Central Valley, both within the community and within the university.
*Based on combined Fresno County and Kings County 2018 American Community Survey, Language Spoken at Home by Ability to Speak English for the Population 5 Years and Over (Hispanic or Latino) respondents who spoke English “Not at All” or “Not Well.”
The College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State 