SUV in the river - language gap to blame

[DeanC]

At least I think so. Read the transcript and you tell me:

9-1-1 CALL - 1st Caller from SUV
Stillwater ICR 08203198
Date: 041308 - 2202 HRS./10:08

D: Dispatch
C1: Original caller
V: Voice in background
C2: Person first caller handed the phone to

D: Washington County Sheriff's Office this is Sue.
Radio traffic St. Croix County to transfer for Stillwater
C1: (inaudible) Yeah, ah, actually we are in Stillwater
D: What?
V: The car is sinking
C1: We are, the car is sinking. We are, we are inside the Stillwater
V: And it's boat, near the boat area (Very hard to understand.)
C1: It's, it's near the boat ah area (inaudible and very hard to understand)
D: Okay. All right. Just a minute here.
C1: And make it fast.
D: What is going on in Stillwater?
C1: Car, Oh God, we are in the car and we are going inside
D: Okay you're in the car and your going
C2: Hello,
D: Yes.
C2: Hello we in the Stillwater, okay, and our car is sinking, now we in the
water now. We are going to be submerged.
D: Okay, you're car is sinking. Where are you in Stillwater.
C2: (inaudible) The car is going to sink now. You need to come. We are boat
rental area. ( Very hard to understand)
D: You're on where sir?
C2 (inaudible)
V: "I'm afraid" (inaudible)
D: It's okay. Can you get out of the car without hurting yourself?
C2: Hello, hello.
D: Can you get out of the car, sir, without hurting yourself.
C2: Hello.
D: Where are you in
C2: Hello
D: Stillwater.
C2: Hello
D: I'm here.
C2: Yeah, our car is going to sink now. (crying)
D: Sir where are you?
C2: We are in Stillwater.
D: I understa
C2: We are in the near boat rental area. (Hard to understand)
Radio Traffic
D: Anybody else hear that?
V: (inaudible)
C1: Why did you go?
D: Can you get out of the car at all?
C2: No the car is, the water is full
D: The car is full?
C2: Yeah, the water is inside of our car.
V: (inaudible) in Stillwater
D: I need some help here because, I cannot understand where they are.
V: (inaudible) sinking (inaudible) Stillwater
D: All right, Sir
V: Sinking please.
D: All right you're in front of the marina?
C2: Hello behind the boat rental deck area.
D: Okay
C2: We are sinking.
D: I know. I understand that. Can you get out of your car? Can you open your
door?
C2: (inaudible) We don't have swimming.
D: Okay, you can't,
V: Don't touch me.
D: You can't get out of your car?
C2: We are going to drown
V: (inaudible) (Different language)
C2: One minute (inaudible)
D: Sir, sir, sir. Open the door.
V: Speaking in different language
C2: One (inaudible)
D: Can you open the door sir?
C2: No we can't open the door.
D: Can you roll the window down at all?
C2: Hello
D: Is it, how much water is in the car?
C2: Hello
D: Sir, how much water is in the car?
C2: Hello, (inaudible) Hello.
D: I'm right here sir.
C2: We are in the (inaudible) area, Stillwater, and our car is inside the
water.
D: Okay, how much water's in your car do you think?
C2: Our car is going to submerge in the next ten minutes.
D: Can you kick the window out at all?
C2: No we can't open the window. We can't open the window.
D: I understand that. Can you kick it? Can you kick it with your foot.
C2: No we can't do anything. It's freezing water.
D: I know sir. I understand.
C2: (inaudible) us all.
D: Is your passenger on the phone too?
C2: Hello, hello, can you please answer for me to call 9-1-1.
V: (inaudible)
D: We already did. We already have. We already have someone coming to help
you.
C2: Hello.
D: Sir.
C2: Hello.
D: You're doing a good job sir. Can you kick the window out with your foot.
C2: (inaudible) ( Different language)
D: Sir, can you kick the window out at all.
V: (inaudible)
Radio traffic
C2: Hello.
D: Sir can you kick the window out at all with your foot.
C2: (inaudible) are submerged fully and die now.
V: (inaudible)
D: Can you kick.
C2: Different language. I'm going to die in this here.
D: Sir do you have a snow brush or anything sharp in your car? Or anything,
ah heavy?
Radio traffic.
C2: (inaudible) Don't panic. (inaudible)
V: (inaudible) Please,
D: Sir
C2: Hello
D: Sir
V: (inaudible) Lots of talking in background in car.
Pounding
Radio traffic
V: We can't open the window.
D: They can't open the door or something.
Phone tones like numbers being pushed
V: We cannot open the window.
Radio traffic
Phone tones like numbers being pushed
D: Sir
Radio traffic
D: Sir
Radio traffic

This 9-1-1 call was transcribed by J. Dornfeld on 041408.

[DeanC]

Second call:

9-1-1 CALL - 2nd Caller from SUV
Stillwater ICR #08203198
Date: 041308 - 2204 HRS./10:08

D: Dispatcher
D2: Dispatcher 2
C1: Caller
C2: 2nd person on other cell phone overheard on this phone
C3: Another person in car

C1: (inaudible)
D: Washington County Sheriff's, this is
C1: Hello, we don't know swimming.
D: Hello
C1: Hello, we don't know swimming, our car is submerging. It's going to come
out in one second, two minutes, please ma'am.
D: Wow, you got to
C1: (inaudible)
D: You got to slow down. What's going on?
C1: We are, we are in Stillwater. Our car is near the car (inaudible) ah
boat rental (very hard to understand) area and our car (inaudible)
D: Hey wait, stop.
C1: (inaudible)
D: Stop, stop, stop
C1: We can't open the door because we don't know swimming.
D: Ma'am, ma'am. Where in Stillwater are you?
C1: We are near the bl, boat rental area (inaudible) boat rental area
Voices in background from car
C2: Hello,
C1: Wisconsin
C2: Hello we are
C1: We are (inaudible) in Wisconsin
D: You're in Wisconsin
C1: Yeah, we're Wisconsin (inaudible)
D: Okay, are you
Other voices from car
D: Okay
C1: Our car is submerging
D: Are you in the vehicle?
C1: Yeah, we are in the vehicle.
D: You're in the vehicle. I need you to kick the door open.
C1: We can't swim. We don't know swimming.
C2: We don't know swimming at all.
C1: Oh, No and got no swimming (inaudible)
C2: Hello
D: Ma'am. Hold on one second.
C2: Other caller in background (inaudible) 9-1-1.
C1: Please, 9-1-1 please. Send someone (inaudible)
D: We're 9-1-1.
C1: Please
D: Ma'am, we've got people coming.
C1: Please come for help (inaudible) Lots of voices in the background
(Dispatch indicating she needed to transfer this)
D: Ma'am.
C1: (inaudible)We are sinking fast. Please.
D: We're sending someone.
C1: Help please
C3: Please come to us.
D: Where are, are you in Wisconsin
C1: Yeah, we're in Wisconsin (inaudible) in the lake
D: Okay. Are you in the vehicle?
C1: Yeah, we on the lake or
D: Okay, can you get out of the vehicle.
C1: We know not swimming.
D: Kick the window out and get out of the vehicle.
C1: Okay
Lots of talking in car
C1: (inaudible) come out
D2: Is the water over the windows?
C1: (inaudible)
D: Is the water over the windows?
C1: No it is got stuck.
D: What's stuck
C1: The door is got stuck. The door is got stuck and we can't open, our
fingers are frozen.
C3: Please help us.
C1: Help us please.
D: We're sending someone as fast as we can. Is the, is the water over the
car? Ma'am
C1: Please send someone.
Loud talking in the car
D: Ma'am.
C1: (inaudible)
D: Ma'am
C1: (inaudible)
D: Ma'am, ma'am. Listen to me.
Lot's of talking in the car.
D: Hello
C1: (inaudible)
D: Hello
C1: Hello, we're going down in the back (inaudible) Hello.
D: Hello
C1: We going to (inaudible)
D: Okay, tell me something. I need you to answer a question for me. Take a
breath and speak calmly.
Lots of talking in car
D: Listen to me.
C1: (inaudible) everyone (inaudible)
D: Ma'am. I need you to stop and listen to me.
C1: What?
D: Is the water over top of the car?
C1: Yeah, it is actually almost. Yeah, (inaudible)
D: Is the water over top of the car.
C1: Almost, almost.
(inaudible)
C1: Almost
D: Almost, okay.
C1: (inaudible)
D: (inaudible) listen to me. Stay calm. I can help you get out.
C1: Yeah.
D: Okay? How much water is inside the car right now?
C1: It's almost on (inaudible). Please
D: Hold on
C1: (inaudible)
D: Hold on
Radio traffic
C1: (inaudible)
D: Ma'am, ma'am. Their phones are dead.
Radio traffic.

This 9-1-1 call was transcribed by J. Dornfeld on 041408

[justaguy]

Here is a good example. Learn the language or die.

[Aceq2jot]

The problem is people refuse to assimilate into the culture. I work with several Hmongs who are in thier early 20's who's parents have been here 30 + years and still do not speak English Not only does it put a strain on the Emergency network as cops, paramedics, fire fighters etc dont speak their language it then costs the county/city etc a lot of money to provide translators and so on. I n may counties in Europe the way they are dealing with it is that you have to pass an Oral exam in English and a written as part of becoming a citizen.

At the rate we are going soon we will have to have multi lingual traffic signs as if they cant speak English how can they read English, and how do they know how to obey the signs?? I have been to the test center on midway a few times for various license endorsement test's and believe me 90% of people in there have a translator to help them take the test or they take it in another language

So how can you expect a driver to know how to read the signs if they dont have to take a driving test in english

[hammAR]

...a friends cell phone message- "If you can speak English leave a message, if you can't call back when you can."................

[justaguy]

So how can you expect a driver to know how to read the signs if they dont have to take a driving test in english

I dont expect people that dont know the language to be driving.

[Aceq2jot]

So how can you expect a driver to know how to read the signs if they dont have to take a driving test in english

I dont expect people that dont know the language to be driving.

Go and spend 10 mins in the Midway testing station and you will see how many there are

[ttousi]

And how many of the translators are also giving them the answers.......

[cobb]

So back a few years ago and they didn't have a cell phone, then what would have happened.

Probably would not happen, they would have a valid drivers license and could read the signs that are in english.

[ree]

So back a few years ago and they didn't have a cell phone, then what would have happened.

Probably would not happen, they would have a valid drivers license and could read the signs that are in english.

What? The signs that say, "Don't drive in river. Car will sink."?

[David]

I've driven in many countries around the world, including ones where I do not speak the language. It would have really sucked to not be able to drive in Mexico or Guatemala, or over in Europe. While I agree that it's essential that people who choose to live here learn English, I don't agree that you should have to speak English in order to drive here. If you believe that, then you must also believe that you shouldn't be able to drive anywhere that doesn't have road signs in a language that you speak. All that you'd really need to do is learn what the various signs mean, and of course the rules of the road.

Are any authorities actually suggesting that the language gap is to blame for the vehicle being in the water? It seems from the transcript as though it may have contributed to a slower rescue response time, but I've seen nothing in the news about them crashing because they didn't speak English. Was it because they made a wrong turn or something because they couldn't read a sign? I read that they were on a road that isn't travelled very much, but it doesn't sound like it was closed or blocked-off or anything. Weird.

[lenny7]

Considering these folks were panicking, it's not surprising they're having problems with their english. Hell, I imagine many english speaking folks might have trouble communicating in that situation.

I don't know these folks, but they worked at the same place where a friend of mine works. They were IT contractors from India, not immigrants or welfare chasers. They were hired to come here to work. They are/were good people.

[rtk]

As always there is most likely more to this story than we know, just ask DeanC.

rtk

[Fast351]

So back a few years ago and they didn't have a cell phone, then what would have happened.

Pull out my trusty Glock 23 and put a few rounds through the drivers side window. Sure, hearing will be less than optimal for a while, but the window will be "opened".

Back in the Netherlands, quite a few people used to carry little glass break hammers in their cars. Because of the enormous dike/canal system, many of the secondary roads have ditches with anything from a few inches to a few feet of water in them. Shoulders are small or non-existent, and plenty of people go into the ditch and flip. A flipped car usually results in pinned doors, but most glass won't survive several strikes from a hammer.

Be prepared.

[DeanC]

Be prepared.

That is the point. Maybe I should have said "culture gap". It's like those dingbats who go into the mountains and get lost and call for help on their cell phones and have no idea where they are.

Not knowing how to swim is a dangerous business. Not knowing how to open the windows on the car is bad news. Updated story on the Pioneer Press site says all four door were locked.