Encourage non-English-speaking friends and family members not to be shy to try their English

LAST year, B.C. welcomed 67,141 immigrants, marking the second highest level of international immigration to BC on record, according to the Government of British Columbia.

This might explain why E-Comm, B.C.’s 9-1-1 emergency communications centre, received 3,418 calls requesting interpretation services on 9-1-1 in 2021, nearly 105 per cent more requests than in 2020.

Of those calls,27 per cent required interpretation services in Punjabi.

October is Global Diversity Month and E-Comm says it wants to remind British Columbians that they do not need to speak English fluently to get help in an emergency.

As British Columbia’s population grows increasingly diverse, E-Comm is asking those with non-English speaking friends or family members to help educate them on how to call 9-1-1.

9-1-1 Safety Tips

• Teach your non-English-speaking friends and family members to learn the English word for the language they do speak (“e.g., learn to say “Punjabi”) to help them access translation services faster
• Encourage them to learn the words “police”, “fire” and “ambulance” and the name of their city (e.g., “Vancouver”) and home address in English
• Encourage them not to be shy to try their English. Even a little English can be very helpful—and often all our call takers need to locate you and send help in an emergency
• Explain the importance of calling 9-1-1 immediately in an emergency situation (rather than waiting for a friend or neighbour to call on their behalf)
• Making a phone call to New Delhi, India? Dial “011” first to avoid calling 9-1-1 by accident. If you do call 9-1-1 by accident, stay on the line so we can make sure you are safe