Does your work ever require a sign language interpreter to assist a customer in an emergency situation?

The Emergency Sign Language Interpreter Program (ESLIP) provides sign language interpreters for emergency and time-sensitive situations on a 24-hour basis, every day for King County and City of Seattle programs. These services are provided to ensure effective communication during emergency encounters and situations with individuals who are Deaf, Deaf-Blind, or hard of hearing using on-call interpreters.

Situations when ESLIP interpreters should be called include, but are not limited to:

For police situations

• interview with a witness, victim or suspect, or Deaf parents of minor children who are involved in a criminal investigation
• notification of rights, Miranda warnings, during interrogation or when taking a statement

Post-arrest situations

• jail booking, personal recognizance interview, or first arraignment

Other situations

• individual is seeking protection orders or during an initial meeting with an attorney (if the meeting is to occur prior to the arraignment)
• assessment by mental health professionals to determine whether a person is a danger to himself or others

County and city personnel should not use this service when they have lead time to arrange for an interpreter, and when they can schedule interpreters through regular channels. To schedule non-emergency interpreters, you may call agencies such as SignOn at 206-632-7100 or ASL Interpreter Network at 206-527-9555, or other qualified freelance interpreters.

Find out more about accessing ESLIP.