There were nine officers and four 911 dispatchers on duty at the time. Mayor of Fort Smith, Arkansas Mr. George B. McGill, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. Operator Donna Reneau took that call at 4:38am. Pictured above is dashcam video of authorities searching for her car. 06:54 GMT 23 Dec 2019 (KFSM) New information has been released about a former Fort Smith 911 dispatcher criticized for her interactions with a drowning woman. iPhone users claim Apple is trying to TRICK them into Are YOU at risk of being cancelled? So calm down.'. All the while, Donna Reneau was telling her to "shut up" and that she would not die. Youre not going to die. 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Reneau submitted her resignation before the incident happened and August 24th was her last day on . Debbie Stevens (left) drowned on Aug. 24 while being scolded by 911 dispatcher Donna Reneau. It is not clear if Stevens' 911 call was the last one she took. 'You're not going to die. It is so unfortunate that her entire career willbe defined by this single incident. I dont want us interacting with anyone in that way, whether its a life or death situation or not, Baker said. The dispatcher then apologized to her while laughing, she stated. UPDATE: FORT SMITH, Ark. Our website services, content and products are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. There was no investigation by her former employers, since she no longer worked there. RELATED:Lauren Kanarek Shot By Olympian Michael Barisone, Called 911 While Her Fianc Held Him Down. But what we want to do is not lose sight of the fact first responders were dispatched, the call was bumped in priority, and as much effort was done by our first responders to get to her," Fort Smith City Administrator Carl Geffken said. Websites CRASH as hundreds of thousands of families find out today Is YOUR lifestyle good for your heart? "I do forgive her, even though it's hard," said Rebeca. She's a former 911 dispatcher who used to save lives with her calls daily. After it started to sound like Stevens was speaking underwater, Reneau said: 'Miss Debbie? She said she felt like those that worked the third shift never saw a supervisor, and when people on her shift attempted to call a supervisor, they did not answer. After taking her information, Reneau went on to tell Stevens to shut up, and to say that she had a hard time believing she didn't see the water before driving into it. JAMIE MITCHELL/AP. Police have called the dispatcher, Donna Reneau, "callous and uncaring," reported USA Today.. Stevens called at around 4:30 a.m. and said that she was in an emergency situation. A date has not been set for a memorial service for Stevens. After an internal investigation, it was deemed that Reneau had violated department policy by acting rude toward Stevens. Female carer who bit off part of a pub landlady's ear during vicious bar brawl is jailed for 14 months. For five years, she worked as a 911 dispatcher and she was so good at her job that she was actually certified to help other people, too. Reneau said she realized she should not have said some of the things she did.. Donna Reneau was working her last shift as a dispatcher for the Fort Smith Police Department on Aug. 24 when she received a call from Debra Stevens, according to KFTA-TV. Stevens repeatedly apologized to the dispatcher, saying she didn't even see the water before she drove into it and that she had never done anything like this before. A date has not been set for a memorial service for Stevens. 5.16am: Rescue boat arrives and is launched. The comments below have not been moderated. The family of a woman who drowned while a 911 operator appeared to mock her say they are appalled by the handling of her emergency, but they forgive the operator. The family of a woman who drowned while a 911 operator appeared to mock her say they are appalled by the handling of her emergency, but they forgive the operator. Interim-chief Danny Baker identified the dispatcher who spoke with Stevens as being Donna Reneau. She worked in Fort Smith, Arkansas as a 911 dispatcher. DONNA RENEAU. 'Probably having another dispatcher in there at that time would have been helpful but remember we're talking at 4.30 in the morning so getting folks down there to assist with dispatch would have been difficult', Baker said. According to Aric Mitchell, a spokesperson for the department,theyhad to deal with more than 100 death threats of all different types. Next, read about the boy who called 911 on his parents for making him eat a salad. Absolutely', he said. I dont know why youre freaking out, Reneau snapped at Stevens at one point, leading to hundreds of complaints about her disrespectful response, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette said. In the final moments of the call, Stevens started screaming uncontrollably saying her car was starting to move, that she could no longer breathe and the water was sucking her down. Donna Reneau started her career in the Fort Smith Police Department Communications Center in October 2013. I'm going to drown!" Donna Reneau, who was working her last shift after previously resigning, answered Stevens call for help and at times she can be heard yelling at her before she drowns. Authorities said that when they did eventually locate her, rising waters made an immediate rescue impossible. Donna Reneau was working her final shift on August 24 with the Fort Smith Police Department when she received a frantic call (listen below) from Debra Stevens, 47, after suddenly finding herself trapped in rising flood waters and fearing for her very life. When do the clocks change in 2023? Donna Marie Reneau, who previously was 'dispatcher of the year' at the Fort Smith Police Department, resigned Aug. 23, the same day she scolded drowning victim Debra Stevens during a. Reneau put in her two weeks notice before the woman's drowning, and. In December 2019, the police released their internal review on Reneau. Ralph R. Ortega For Dailymail.com She's a former 911 dispatcher who used to save lives with her calls daily. Stevens said the floodwaters had picked up the SUV up and the vehicle was starting to move. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved. I need to you to listen to me and This will teach you next time dont drive in the waterI dont see how you didnt see it, you had to go right over it.. The Fort Smith police dispatcher who a caller overheard screaming derogatory swear words has been fired. Prince William and Kate Middleton are 'likely to join Britain's biggest charities in volunteering during the EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: King's museum plan for Buckingham Palace. 'It's a tragic thing, I understand that. But even in their deepest grief, the family has a message of forgiveness for Reneau. Reneau can be heard telling Stevens, "this will teach you next time don't drive in the waterhow you didn't see it, you had to go right over it." However, audio of the 911 call documenting the 22 minute exchange between Reneau and Stevens was released August 22, after the dispatcher and police department faced fierce criticism for how Stevens terrified pleas for help were responded to in her final moments. Every police officer on duty is busy on other calls. As Stevens began to panic, Reneau's responses . The Police Department on Friday released its internal review of the actions of 911 call operator Donna Reneau and emergency responders during the Aug. 24 drowning of Debra Stevens, a newspaper. Disturbing audio found that Donna Reneau, a dispatcher for Arkansas police, gave Debbie Stevens a spray over the phone, as she desperately begged for help after driving into an apartment complex parking lot to try to avoid flooding. Reneau also suggested dispatchers get a distress break after taking a high-stress call. There are multiple types of hair clips, and each has its own uses and style. When Stevens explained that she hadnt seen the water coming before her car was swept up in it, Reneau made no attempt to mask her disbelief. Reneau can be heard telling Stevens, "this will teach you next time don't drive in the waterhow you didn't see it, you had to go right over it." 5.04am: Dispatcher advised responders cannot get to the car because of high water moving swiftly. Stevens had been delivering. For every one of us, saving lives is at the very core of who we are and why we do what we do. Absolutely,' he said. In the video above: Severe floodwaters hit Arkansas Watch the latest news and stream for free on 7plus >> But seven months later, she would become known for telling drowning woman Debra Stevens to "shut up". A woman in Arkansas drowned in floodwaters shortly after getting on the phone with an emergency dispatcher who scolded her for driving during the storm. Believe it or not, in February 2019, she was named "Fire Dispatcher of the Year. Stevens called 911 before her death, and Reneau answered her call. He said this emphasizes the need for more telecommunication training. 'I have worked at the FSPD for almost 5 yrs now and truly care about my job and the people I talk to on a daily basis', Reneau says. When asked, "What did you like most about your job?" She's under water now.'. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Once Stevens called 911 after she got stuck in her car, she was met with an unsympathetic dispatcher who scolded her multiple times even in her final moments of life. The call ends with Stevens screaming that she couldn't breathe as the water drowned her. - A former 911 dispatcher in Arkansas was cleared of any wrongdoing in how she handled a call in which she scolded a panicking woman for driving into floodwaters before she drowned. "You go ahead and start off the prayer, and I'll listen to you," Reneau responds. 'You're not going to die. We are looking at what we can do to increase training for our dispatchers, swift water rescues, and other things.. Do you really care about your brand-new phone? Reneau asked, Youre over there crying for your life. Then, when Stevens says that she is afraid that her car will explode because she sees smoke, Reneau responds, How? But, even when calm down is required, what 911 callers dont expect when theyre frantic for help is condescension and impatience from the operator, and certainly not during the last moments of their life. Reneau had given her notice two weeks earlier. 4.41am: Fire department is dispatched to the scene. 'Am I not on the phone with you trying to get you some help?' When the team did arrive to save her, the flooding delayed their attempts to get to her:When first responders were finally able to reach Mrs. Stevens and extract her from the vehicle, she had tragically succumbed to drowning., Wait. did this guy Danny Baker just say that #Donnareneau has had to endure things as a dispatcher that no one should have to? Stevens first called Diane when she became trapped. Stevens repeatedly told the dispatcher that she was going to die because the water was rising up past her chest and had engulfed the inside of her SUV. Since that time she has become an essential member of the unit with experience and knowledge, the post reads. Stevens: "Please help me. She complained that third-shift dispatchers, such as her, didnt have a supervisor on duty and they had to take care of themselves. Stevens eventually drowned. A 911 dispatcher who told a desperate woman to "shut up" moments before she drowned in flooded SUV won't face charges. "I sure will., Reneau, who was working her final shift after giving her notice two weeks notice, told Stevens that authorities will get there when they get there and that she's not going to die, at one point telling her to "shut up. We call on Fort Smith Police Department and Fort Smith city officials to investigate and prosecute Donna Reneau for these crimes that led to this woman's death in failing to do her job. Pictured above is dashcam video of authorities searching for her car, Reneau could be heard telling the first responders searching for her: 'I'm on the phone with her now and she is legit freaking out. . Every police officer on duty is busy on other calls. Reneau faced no criminal charges in Stevens death. Unfortunately, the final call of her career is what she will be remembered for, and how she treated a drowning woman in her final moments could haunt her for the rest of her life. Bettering work conditions - A former 911 dispatcher in Arkansas was cleared of any wrongdoing in how she handled a call in which she scolded a panicking woman for driving into floodwaters before she drowned. A paper delivery woman who drove into a flooded area drowned after being reprimanded by a now-former 911 dispatcher. He said at the time that the police department would be investigating its policies into responses and their dispatch center in the wake of Stevens' death. I don't know why you're freaking out. and Dispatcher Donna Reneau from the Fort Smith Police Department had given her two-weeks notice and was working her very last shift when 47-year-old Debra Stevens called in. She intentional inflicted pain on another human being. Would love your thoughts, please comment. A rescue boat was launched at 5:16 a.m. however, first responders werent able to reach Stevens until 5:58 a.m. Debbie Stevens, 47, called the. A frantic Debbie Stevens sobbed as she was on the phone with an operator in Arkansas while she was trapped in a flash flood on the morning of Aug. 24. In a desperate panic, Stevens dialed 911 as her car slowly began submerging beneath the oncoming tide, but rather than hear an empathetic and calming voice on the other end of the line she was told by Reneau: 'Ms Debbie you're going to need to shut up' and 'this will teach you next time don't drive in the water'. 'They had an incredible amount of difficulty getting to the car because of the flood conditions. The dispatcher hung up. Tisane Hibiscus Mlisse Feuille De Mrier Bienfait, By the time rescue crews were able to secure the car, Stevens had drowned. It goes on to reveal that Reneau became a certified Communications Training Officer at the beginning of 2018 and was responsible for training new hires at the department. 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