This page in: English 中文 नेपाली ខ្មែរ فارسی Русский Português
Free · Bilingual · Open-licensed

Before You Call 911Know When to Call. Know What to Say.

Free bilingual reference cards and community workshops that help immigrant families navigate the American emergency medical system with confidence. Keep the card by your phone. Practice with the workshop. Know your rights.

25M+
limited-English speakers
in the United States
35%
of immigrant households delay
emergency care due to language barriers
100%
of U.S. emergency rooms must
treat you regardless of status or insurance

Everything you need on one card

A two-sided bilingual reference card designed to be printed on cardstock, laminated, and kept near your phone at home. Clear, scannable, and personalized with your information.

Side A
What To Do
  • When to call 911: 7 emergency conditions
  • How to make the call in 5 simple steps
  • How to request an interpreter in your language
  • Key English phrases with translations
  • Fill-in section for your address and medical info

Get the reference card in your language

Download, print on cardstock, and laminate. Keep one by your phone and give one to a neighbor. Each card is bilingual: English on one side, your language on the other.

English / Mandarin
英语 / 普通话
Available now
Download PDF
English / Nepali
नेपाली
Coming soon
Coming Soon
English / Khmer
ខ្មែរ
Coming soon
Coming Soon
English / Farsi
فارسی
Coming soon
Coming Soon
English / Russian
Русский
Coming soon
Coming Soon
English / Portuguese
Português
Coming soon
Coming Soon
Printing tip: For best results, print on heavy cardstock (80 lb / 216 gsm) and laminate both sides.
All materials are free under CC BY-SA 4.0. Download, translate, adapt, and share.

You are protected.

U.S. law protects everyone in a medical emergency, regardless of immigration status, insurance, or ability to pay.

Emergency Treatment (EMTALA)

Every emergency room in the U.S. must stabilize and treat you, regardless of your immigration status, insurance, or ability to pay. This is federal law.

Free Interpreter Services

Hospitals must provide a qualified medical interpreter at no charge. You have the right to understand your care. Do not rely on children to interpret.

Privacy Protections (HIPAA)

You will not be asked about immigration status. HIPAA protects your medical records. Hospitals cannot share your information with immigration authorities.

Learn by doing, not just reading

A 90-minute bilingual workshop with hands-on practice: role-play a 911 call, learn what to expect from EMTs, and walk through your rights.

1

When to Call 911

10–15 minutes

Distinguish a 911 emergency from an urgent care visit, a doctor appointment, or a pharmacy trip. Scenario card sorting exercise.

2

Making the Call

15–20 minutes

Practice a step-by-step 911 call, learn key English phrases, request an interpreter, and fill in your reference card with personal information.

3

What Happens Next

10–15 minutes

What EMTs look like and ask, what happens in the ambulance, and how the emergency department works from arrival to exam room.

4

Your Rights

10–15 minutes

EMTALA, interpreter rights, immigration and HIPAA protections, billing basics. True/False exercise to reinforce key protections.

5

Hands-On Practice

20–25 minutes

Full role-play rotation with 911 dispatch simulation, reference card review, basic first aid awareness, and post-workshop survey.

Host a Workshop

Are you an ESL instructor, community health worker, or immigrant services organization? We provide everything you need to run this workshop in your community.

90 minutes, 5 modules
10–20 participants per session
Facilitator guide and all materials provided
Free of charge · CC BY-SA 4.0
Contact Us to Arrange a Workshop

Use this toolkit in your community

All materials are open-licensed. Download them, translate them into your students’ languages, and run the workshop in your own classroom.

ESL Instructors

Integrate the reference card into your health literacy curriculum. The workshop modules are designed for beginner-to-intermediate English learners with facilitation notes for bilingual delivery.

Community Health Workers

Distribute printed reference cards at health fairs, community centers, and home visits. The card is designed to be filled in with personal information and kept permanently.

Immigrant Services Organizations

Add the workshop to your orientation programming for new arrivals. Adapt materials to your community’s languages using our open-source template. Contact us for support.

Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0

All materials are © 2026 Anna Y. Wang, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. You are free to copy, translate, adapt, and redistribute with attribution. Derivative works must use the same license.

We’d love to hear from you

Whether you want to host a workshop, volunteer as a translator, or adapt this toolkit for your community.

General Inquiries

anna.yinan.wang0502@gmail.com

Volunteer Translators

Help us expand to Nepali, Khmer, Farsi, Russian, Portuguese, and more.

Host a Workshop

Bring the workshop to your library, school, church, or community center.