By Jean Dibble
The Wenatchee World
WENATCHEE, Va. — Heart attacks, traffic accidents, falls, burns — people call an ambulance for many reasons, but they usually won’t find any with a bilingual crew member aboard.
“Being able to speak to someone in their own language is an enormous asset in an emergency situation,” said Alonzo “Lonnie” DelVillar, a paramedic with Ballard Ambulance. “We see people when they’re in a very vulnerable state. It’s a comfort to them to not have to struggle with English.”
DelVillar, 41, is the only Spanish-speaking paramedic in the Wenatchee Valley. Ballard has 11 ambulances and a staff of 36 employees.
Full story: Speaking patient’s native language can help gather medical history