VITEMA said 911 center had no Spanish-speaking operators and planned translation service by March 18

The Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency said on February 18, 2021, that its 911 center had 37 call operators whose language capabilities included English and Patois, and that it was recruiting operators with an emphasis on Spanish fluency.

The statement followed a February 17, 2021 hearing of the Committee on Homeland Security, Justice, Public Safety and Veteran’s Affairs and addressed the agency’s ability to serve Spanish-speaking residents.

VITEMA said it had partnered with the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Virgin Islands Fire Service to provide translation support within minutes of a call while recruitment continued.

The agency also said Language Line Solutions Inc., a real-time translation service covering more than 50 languages and dialects, was expected to be operational by March 18, 2021.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/vitema-clarifies-911-spanish-speaking-capabilities-and-recruitment-efforts/