The Nation - News from June 8, 1987

Immigrants in Boston will soon be able to explain their problems to emergency operators in their own language, officials said. A new service, which is expected to be in operation before the end of July, will connect residents who dial the 9-1-1 emergency number to a translator who can understand their problems and convey directions in a three-way conversation with the dispatcher and the original caller. Interpreters will be available in 126 languages. The emergency line will be hooked up to a national network, which will then locate the translator in a matter of minutes, officials said.