Learning a new language helps save lives, close communication gaps, and strengthen both professional readiness and personal well-being

During the March 2025 Commission on Civil Rights business meeting, Commissioner Glenn D. Magpantay informed the audience of an astonishing statistic, that around 26 million Americans are limited English proficient persons, also known as LEPs.

For first responders, that means a potential 26 million individuals they could encounter who have a language barrier. A language barrier could make calling dispatch, answering an EMT’s medical questions, or receiving orders from firefighters during urgent situations all the more difficult, and even life threatening. With this a question arises: what if there is something first responders can do to amend this issue while also benefitting themselves?

The Fire Service and Language Barriers

The issue of language barriers is nothing new to the fire service. In “Lost in translation: The FDNY and Limited English Proficient persons,” an article published in FDNY’s WNYF magazine, I identified several fires that affected the LEP community, namely, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, El Hoyo Club, Happy Land, and Twin Peaks fires. While those fires were concentrated to New York City, they are not the only examples where disasters have affected LEP communities.

A study from 2020 found that health disparities were profound during COVID due to communication issues. More recently, a UCLA report discovered that the L.A. wildfires affected much of the Asian LEP community in Los Angeles due to language barriers. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of examples where LEPs are affected by fires, national emergencies, or natural disasters. Still, even with these tragedies, there are accounts when the fire service has been able to navigate language barriers.

Fire Service Examples of Foreign Language Use

Bilingual, multilingual, polyglot- These are just a few of the terms used for people who speak two or even multiple languages. During emergencies, it can be a skill that matters. Take for instance, the case of a small volunteer company in Oxford, Pa. A 2020 article published on WHYY.org, discussed how the Union Fire Company sought to recruit Spanish-speaking volunteers, because their district had a high Spanish-speaking population. It seemed to work, as the article referenced an emergency where Spanish-speaking firefighters played a key role in de-escalating the situation. That was not the only example.

In October 2025, firefighters in Petersburg, Va., used their Spanish-language skills during a technical rescue after a person fell from a bridge. In the WTVR-TV, CBS 6 News article, the firefighters discussed how knowing Spanish helped them provide adequate care to the patient. Besides being beneficial to the people first responders serve, knowing another language may also benefit the bilingual, multilingual, or polyglot first responder.

Dementia, Cognitive Decline, and Foreign Language Learning

A recent study published in Nature Medicine found the yearly amount of dementia cases is expected to almost double by 2060. That study also stated that for people over the age of 55 there is a 42% risk of developing dementia. With numbers like these it can feel like an inevitability. Still, prevention may exist.

Several studies have credited speaking more than one language with staving off cognitive decline. A study from 2024, that was published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, discussed how cognitive issues and dementia was more present in monolingual than bilingual people. More recently, a study published in Nature Aging, discussed how people who spoke multiple languages had a slower rate of aging than those who only spoke only one language. That study was also featured in a National Geographic article on how speaking multiple languages helps the brain. Besides possibly preventing cognitive decline and dementia, there are other benefits to learning a foreign language.

Advantages to Foreign Language Learning

In my WNYF article, I also examined various ways first responders are incentivized to learn another language. For instance, several departments provide courses in language learning, and in a few cases offer bilingual pay to firefighters and their staff. There are also more profound benefits to learning a foreign language.

On a deeper level, bilingual first responders also benefit from learning a foreign language by strengthening their department’s relationship with the community. Studies have pointed out that a language barrier creates a barrier to service. Still, other studies, such as one from 2023 that examined the prehospital care of LEP patients, have shown that having bilingual first responders can enhance pre-hospital care, increase trust within the community, and reduce provider bias. And if increased pay and building a relationship with the community isn’t enough, there’s another benefit to learning a foreign language.

Who doesn’t like to travel? As firefighters, there are often plenty of opportunities when we can explore the world. Vacation, mutuals, and time between shifts are often just a few of the perks that allow many employees of fire departments to find the time during the regular and off season to travel. Learning another language could enhance those experiences by enabling conversations with locals, enjoying content in native languages, and showing off new language skills for friends and family. Many social media videos and other material also demonstrate the benefits of speaking a foreign language with native speakers, such as getting deals on purchases and finding hidden gems often reserved for locals.

Tips for Fire Service-Related Foreign Language Learning

A tip that can benefit you when learning another language is to go over the last call you had and write down everything you can remember from the interaction with the caller, other witnesses, victims, or colleagues. Think of it like a script of that run.

Here’s a five-step example on how to use your last call to help you learn a foreign language:

  1. Write it out – go over any questions asked by you or your supervisor during the run, and any other conversations you witnessed. Try to remember some of the answers or make up some of your own. Then write it all down. (Just remember not to write anything that violates HIPAA or other privacy concerns!)
  2. Translate – place your list of statements, questions, and answers into a free translator service like Google Translate, DeepL, or any other one that you prefer.
  3. Practice – recite the statements, questions, and answers. These can help reinforce the use of commonly used words.
  4. Rinse and Repeat – go over the list as many times as it takes for you to feel comfortable asking the questions and saying the answers to those questions.
  5. Reinforce – watch videos, listen to podcasts, use language apps, and if possible, schedule online tutoring sessions. This will help train you to hear another voice speaking the language.

In no time you’ll be the go-to on that next run when your crew happens to encounter a language barrier scenario. Who knows, you may even end up saving the day, like the members of those Pennsylvania and Virginia fire companies.

One Last Question

With 26 million LEPs in the country, the potential is there for first responders to encounter language barriers during disasters. This only enhances the need for those in the emergency service to learn a foreign language skill. Besides addressing language barriers, learning another language may help slow cognitive decline, could add pay to your salary, help strengthen community connection, and possibly enhance your next overseas journey. With all this in mind, only one question remains: on that next call, will you be the one to solve the language barrier to service or will you also be the one hoping that help eventually arrives?