http://www.herald-sun.com/durham/4-727536.html

City recruits bilingual workers at job fair



BY KELLY HINCHCLIFFE : The Herald-Sun
khinchcliffe@heraldsun.com
Apr 24, 2006 : 11:59 am ET

DURHAM -- Firefighter Gerry Mora was on the scene of a car accident last week on Interstate 85 where a woman and three young children were "beat up pretty bad" after their car turned over several times.

When medics needed to get critical information from them, Mora was able to do what no one else at the scene could -- communicate with the victims.

Out of 36 firefighters at Durham Fire Department Station 2, Mora is the only one who is fluent in both Spanish and English, he said.

On Sunday, Mora attended the Durham Public Safety Job Fair for Bilingual Recruitment at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. His goal was to recruit more people like himself who can speak two languages.

"There aren't enough of us," he said.

As he stood by a table full of information about being a firefighter, Mora spotted the family he helped last week. The young boy still had a pretty bad bump on his head, but the family seemed well, Mora said.

He also talked with the father, who was not involved in the accident but arrived on the scene later.

"When the father showed up, he was a mess when he saw his family beat to a pulp," Mora recalled.

Being able to communicate with the family during a life-threatening situation "came in pretty handy," Mora said.

The job fair included representatives from the Durham Police Department, Durham 911, EMS and Human Resources consultants from the City of Durham, according to Katushka Olave who helped organize the fair.

"This is to help [the Hispanic community] navigate how the system works," Olave said.

Job fair attendants also got information on how to protect themselves from identity theft, how to protect their homes from fire and burglary, how to properly install automobile child safety seats and what to expect when calling 911.

Tyran Fennell, a human resources consultant for the city, handed out employment applications to anyone who stopped by her table.

"We're trying to reflect [Durham's] diverse population in our workforce," she said.

Durham 911 training coordinator Mavis "Z" Galantis tried to inform children as well by handing out coloring books explaining how to use 911.

Out of about 40 employees at Durham 911, only three are bilingual, Galantis said. More Spanish-speaking staff is needed.

"We don't have a limit," she said. "If everyone in our agency was bilingual, that would be wonderful."

Her agency has been moving that direction by bringing in a Spanish instructor to teach the employees for two hours, twice a week, she said.

"Nothing replaces having someone right there that speaks Spanish," Galantis said.