FEMA Is Reaching Out To Disaster Communities In Many Languages 

Release Date: October 26, 2005
Release Number: 1603-117

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BATON ROUGE, La. -- Hurricane impacted residents of Louisiana are being assisted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in a multitude of languages and dialects. FEMA’s Community Relations Field Specialists (CRFS) include interpreters trained to assist victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The Community Relations program provides the vital information link between FEMA and the state and local communities affected by disasters. A Community Relations Field Specialist goes into communities to gather vital information and to distribute important recovery news to disaster victims. In many cases, a FEMA Community Relations Specialist is the first person affected residents are able to speak to about what has happened to them.

CRFS teams will include members that are bi-lingual to speak to as many disaster victims as possible. Teams have been going into shelters to offer important information to non-English-speaking evacuees. To date, CRFS have distributed more than 596,100 copies of FEMA program materials in six languages.

These specialists have conducted meetings at shelters, places of worship, community and business associations, consulates, retail shopping areas, and centers for the hearing-impaired. FEMA has added multilingual employees, as well as trained community volunteers, to the Community Relations teams.

Deputy Community Relations Officer Alan Dobson said CRFS teams have enlisted the aid of multilingual residents in disaster shelters to give assistance and spread information to other non-English-speaking disaster victims. "We have searched out non-English-speaking populations by using Census Bureau reports. Then we approach those areas with a CRFS who can speak the language of that community to make sure everyone has a chance to get needed disaster help," said Dobson.

CRFS teams approach diversity with sensitivity by giving important information to cultural and religious leaders who can disseminate it throughout their communities. FEMA is communicating with workers at shelters throughout the state to be sure they have necessary information and assistance in the languages spoken at each location. At present, CRFS teams have interpreters in the disaster-affected communities speaking Spanish, Vietnamese, Creole, Chinese (Mandarin), Cambodian and French.

Last Modified: Wednesday, 26-Oct-2005 10:49:41