Posted on 09/11/2005 6:19:29 PM PDT by WestTexasWend
GULFPORT, Miss. - (KRT) - A Vietnamese man who spent five days in a wrecked fishing boat before being saved told rescuers he did not understand the evacuation orders issued before Hurricane Katrina.
And not knowing how to get help nearly killed him and another man, rescuers said.
Many fear that without translated information the area's largest non-English speakers - the Vietnamese and Latino communities - could be more at risk than their English-speaking neighbors to a litany of health problems, from carbon-monoxide poisoning from generators to skin rashes and gastrointestinal problems from drinking unclean water.
"It's disconcerting that there isn't any infrastructure to offer Vietnamese/English translation to reassure these Vietnamese people," said Tuyet A. Ngoc Tran, an editor at Viettouch.com, a Web site based in New York and San Jose, Calif., which has been following the coverage of the Vietnamese community affected by Katrina. "Someone should pay attention to these people because they have no advocates."
The Vietnamese man was found with a second Vietnamese man in the Lakeshore community in Hancock County. The two men - severely dehydrated and malnourished - had sought refuge in the boat after the storm, rescuers said.
The identities of both men were not released by authorities. One was 38 and had recently moved to the area from Kansas City and spoke English.
The other, between 35 and 40, did not seem to understand English and was in a catatonic state.
"They had made no attempt to seek medical attention," said Dr. David Jaslow, an emergency room doctor attached to the Pennsylvania rescue unit which found the two men. Jaslow said the man from Kansas City told him that he did not understand the evacuation orders and never expected to be saved or treated.
Jaslow said the man was surprised that he was given medical attention.
Tran said that many poorer Vietnamese are hesitant to go to a doctor because they cannot afford it.
Adam Nguyen had not heard about the two Vietnamese men but he had heard that a second hurricane was brewing in the Gulf of Mexico and heading to Biloxi.
Nguyen, a 13-year-old seventh-grade student, was struggling to translate information for his grandparents and other Vietnamese adults living at the Chua Van Duc Buddhist temple on a debris-littered East Biloxi street. Aid in the form of water, food and clothes has pored in.
But information has not.
After being reassured that there was no hurricane, Nguyen issued a plea: "Please send out information in Vietnamese. Send it really soon."
Nguyen is living at the temple with his grandparents. He and his grandmother evacuated to Florida. But his 69-year-old grandfather did not. He escaped the storm by emptying a 5-gallon water jug, stuffing it into his shirt and using it as a flotation device after his First Street home collapsed. The jug now rests on the side of the temple's porch.
So far, only local and international media outlets have provided information in Vietnamese and Spanish.
WLOX-TV has translated and broadcast some information updates and stories in Spanish and Vietnamese, said Renee Johnson, the station's Internet producer.
One of the station's reporters - Trang Pham Bui - speaks Vietnamese and has been translating some news reports since the storm began, Johnson said. The station has also issued some public service announcements in Spanish, Johnson said.
But more information could be available in both Spanish and Vietnamese soon.
Vincent Creel, the spokesman for the city of Biloxi, said the city had not issued evacuation orders in any language but English, but said the city was going to start issuing new releases in Spanish and Vietnamese.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency will have Vietnamese and Spanish-speaking community support workers in the area soon, said Tom Hegele, spokesman for FEMA.
"We've got some fliers and brochures that are in Spanish and we're trying to distribute them now," Hegele said. Hegele said they're trying to get the same information translated into Vietnamese. But Hegele said there are people who are from Vietnam who speak other languages than Vietnamese, which complicates the translation process, he said.
"They'll hopefully be in the area in the next several days," Hegele said, of the community support staff.
Nguyen, 13, and Tuong Do, 10, who is also living at the shelter, were also hungry for other information - such as when school will be back in session.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I want to go back to school," Ho said. "I'm bored here. I'd rather be doing homework."
Learn English.
Pssssssst When in Rome
How could somebody live in America without knowing the language... sad storyW
Yes, but notice that they came with nothing and are not on the dole, shooting, or looting.
Learn English...double ditto.
you mean, FEMA didn't provide classes for this man? someone email mary Landrieu about this right away!
</sarcasm>
Even though that is the logical thing to do, you KNOW what the liberal response will be.
Eventually some AACLU scumbag lawyer will sue whatever government entity because they do not broadcast warnings, evacuation orders, etc., in such and such a language.
Then we will get legislation that will require such warnings, etc., to be broadcast in 247 different languages (similar to the ballots in Kalifornia). Never mind the fact that by the time the warning is finished, the storm, tornado, flood, etc, would be ancient history. Liberals will FEEL better about themselves because they cared enough to help!
Rather than do the smart thing which is tell them to learn ENGLISH!!
Also it doesn't mention how long ago they immigrated. If they came several years or longer, then they should have learned English. However, if they just recently came to America, I can see that point - it takes time to learn a new language...
This crap has to stop. If we had a government with cajones, and cared about this country, there would be a simple rule, amongst many ---
** No English, No Entry! **
This is a very racist story by the racists at Knight Ridder Newspapers.
They're telling us that Vietnamese are stupid people who will drink polluted water and inhale carbon monoxide from generators.
As a friend of many citizens with a Vietnamese heritage, I am totally upset by these racist comments. I want Knight Ridder Newspapers to apologize to the American-Vietnamese community now.
The insensitivity of Knight Ridder Newspapers is reprehensible.
Knight Ridder Newspapers must apologize now. If not, Jesse Jackson must insist on a boycott of Knight Ridder Newspapers now.
Bump!
There is. It’s called ELS and he probably had 30 years to take it.
I don’t buy this story. They were on a FISHING BOAT. You don’t earn your living from the sea without at least being able to follow weather reports. I suspect that they were just like hundreds of thousands of white English speaking people who thought that they could ride it out, but don’t want to admit it.
They were probably refugees dude. But that doesn’t excuse them for not picking it up after they arrive.
Bush did it, or didn't do it or whatever. The prick can't understand anything, but you can be assured that come the election, he will be registered and voting like he knew something, somewhere, someway.
If anyone is teaching English to immigrants, one of the most important words or signs they might need to know is "EMERGENCY" (among others). I saw an Asian family a few years ago drive up to the wrong door of the hospital, not recognizing the big "EMERGENCY" entrance sign. Their family member was slung across the back of a child and hauled down the wrong hallway. There were men in the group, and I wondered why they were not carrying the child instead of having another child carry her. I ran for help and they were put on an elevator and carried up to the right area, but I still don't know whether or not they were in time. Some words are the difference between life and death.
How long has he been in this country? Assimilation ... what a concept ...
They were probably refugees dude. But that doesn’t excuse them for not picking it up after they arrive.
-------
And by today's PC standars, the taxpayer would end up picking up the bill, for illegals, refugees, whatever. As we do today, and NOT by our choosing.
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