Tisane Hibiscus Mlisse Feuille De Mrier Bienfait, Donna Reneau was working her final shift on August 24 when she received a frantic call from Debra Stevens, 47, having given in her notice two weeks earlier. 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. Dispatcher begins gathering information. ", The department received hundreds of phone calls saying Reneau was disrespectful for scolding Stevens as she sobbed and asked for help and for telling her this will teach you next time dont drive in the water., Debra Stevens, 47, pictured left was on her regular newspaper route when a flash flood swept up her car. and 06:54 GMT 23 Dec 2019 They're not going to get themselves in danger just because you put yourself in danger'. Debbie Stevens (left) drowned on Aug. 24 while being scolded by 911 dispatcher Donna Reneau. I know the water level is high but you freaking out is doing nothing but losing your oxygen so calm down', Reneau said in the audio. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. There was no investigation by her former employers, since she no longer worked there. Stevens called 911 before her death, and Reneau answered her call. She was also heard in the call telling Stevens to "shut up.". Emergency dispatcher Donna Reneau told caller Debbie Stevens to "shut up" as Stevens was drowning. Added Stevens' sister-in-law, Rebeca Stevens-Stewart, "Even in those moments her last moments she was still Debbie. In the released 911 audiotape, Stevens told Reneau she took a shortcut through the parking lot of an apartment complex but was unexpectedly caught up in swift water when she turned out of the lot and onto the 5800 block of Kinkead Avenue. Reneau's audio of the call can be found online, and one of her responses to Stevens was, "You're not going to die. Stevens: "Please help me. When do the clocks change in 2023? "I do forgive her, even though it's hard," said Rebeca. 4.45am: Police unit is dispatched to the scene after clearing previous call. Oh Baby - two of FOX 5 DC's evening anchors announce they're pregnant. The investigation was. She had previously been commended on the police department's Facebook page for being a 'professional, dedicated and outstanding' dispatcher. En'Joy" donna reneau dispatcher apology See additional information. Stevens first called Diane when she became trapped. Stevens asked Reneau if the police would take her home after she was rescued so she could care for her dogs. Bodycam video released by the Fort Smith Police Department shows first responders searching for Stevens' car when she called 911 to say she was trapped in flood waters, 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. 'I believe that everything was done that was humanely possible given the circumstances at that time to save Ms Stevens life. Stevens explained on the call that she was trapped in her car and that the water flooding the interior was already up to her chest and to make matters worse, she couldn't swim. and Tue, Jan 24, 2023 LOGIN Subscribe for $1 She told Baker and Solis she was accepted into the cardiovascular Technology program at Arkansas Tech University. Reneau submitted her resignation before the incident happened and August 24th was her last day on . They said the 911 operator had dispatched Fort Smith Fire and Police units to help her but it made it difficult because she couldn't describe her exact location. She's a former 911 dispatcher who used to save lives with her calls daily. She says the vehicle is now moving in the water'. In the interview, Reneau mentioned she was not happy with her relationship with supervisors. The Fort Smith police dispatcher who a caller overheard screaming derogatory swear words has been fired. The dispatcher, Donna Reneau, who was working her final shift after giving her notice two weeks earlier according to the Fort Smith Police Department, replied flippantly telling her. UPDATE: FORT SMITH, Ark. 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. I don't know why you're freaking out. The 911 call was in EXCESS of 20 minutes. She told Baker and Solis she would consider a part-time position with the department. 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. Did they find her? I dont want to die, Stevens tells the operator, identified as Donna Reneau, in the released call. By: News 9. Responders begin trying to get to vehicle, donning life vests and ropes. Debra Stevens, 47, had been delivering newspapers in the early hours of August 24 in Fort Smith, Arkansas, when she accidentally drove into rising flood waters that swept her SUV off the road. 5.02am: Responders report they have located the vehicle. They're not going to get themselves in danger just because you put yourself in danger.'. 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. 5.00am: 911 call is disconnected between caller and dispatch. 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. She's a former 911 dispatcher who used to save lives with her calls daily. FORT SMITH, Ark. It is not clear if Stevens' 911 call was the last one she took. August 30, 2019 06:45 PM A woman drowned in a flash flood in Arkansas on Saturday after calling 911 to say she was trapped in her car as water was rising around her. 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. 2023byTango Publishing Corporation All Rights Reserved. 4.41am: Fire department is dispatched to the scene. Former 911 operator Donna Reneau, who sparked widespread outrage in August for chastising Debra Stevens in her dying moments, still did her job in all of the ways that substantively mattered, officials said in a newly released internal review. Police Chief Danny Baker at the time said he could completely understand the 'disgust and concern' people have had over the interaction between the dispatcher and Stevens. They just weren't able to get to her on time,' Mitchell said. Scotland's Quest For The Missing Remains Of Lilias Adie, An Accused Witch Who Killed Herself, The True Story Of Hattori Hanz: From 16th-Century Japan To Kill Bill, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. Every police officer on duty is busy on other calls. ", RELATED:Awful New Details Revealed About The Teen Who Died After Being Crushed In A Parked Minivan Despite Calling 911 Twice. FORT SMITH, Ark. 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. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Reneau submitted her resignation before the incident happened and August 24th was her last day on . Rebecca Jane Stokesis a writer living in Brooklyn, New York with her cats, Batman and Margot. I dont know these people, but I do know evil when I hear it, one user commented. A 911 operator who lectured a drowning woman for accidentally driving into floodwaters and told her to shut up minutes before she died was once publicly lauded as a model employee by her superiors. They said the 911 operator had dispatched Fort Smith Fire and Police units to help her but it made it difficult because she couldn't describe her exact location. (Jamie Mitchell/The Southwest Times Record via AP) Time was running out for Debra Stevens. 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. Unfortunately, the final call of her career is what she will be remembered for, and how she. Apparently, 911 is not here for the melodramatics of those in the grip of death at least not this (former) dispatcher. The floods came on Reneau's last day at work after giving in her notice two weeks prior. Miss Debbie' before saying 'Oh my god. 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. He said this emphasizes the need for more telecommunication training. Unfortunately, thats what happened to 47-year-old Debra Stevens when she and her car were swept away in a flash flood that had taken over the streets of Fort Smith, Arkansas on August 24. This story was reported from Cincinnati. Police Chief Danny Baker at the time said he could completely understand the 'disgust and concern' people have had over the interaction between the dispatcher and Stevens. Youre not going to die. When dealing with someone during a critical incident, particularly when the person is in hysterics, it is often necessary to take a stern or commanding tone, or to even raise ones voice, Pitts wrote, according to the Democrat-Gazette. Who is Donna Reneau? Is there maybe things we need to look at in our response? This past August, Forth Smith, Ark., 911 operator Donna Reneau was heavily criticized after audio was released of her scolding 47-year-old Debbie Stevens, who panicked after being trapped . Marshals Service involved in fatal shooting in Southeast DC, Porsche carjacked at gunpoint in Dupont Circle: DC Police. A date has not been set for a memorial service for Stevens. '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. (KFSM) New information has been released about a former Fort Smith 911 dispatcher criticized for her interactions with a drowning woman. 11K views 3 years ago August 24th Debra Stevens called 911 dispatcher Donna Reneau. Every police officer on duty is busy on other calls. Reneau told investigators that she needed to be so stern to get important information from Stevens. Emily Crane For Dailymail.com This job comes with stress and can be very busy at times, but working with the people I do makes it worth it'. However, she was once billed by superiors as a dedicated operator who always does an outstanding job, as part of a glowing Facebook post during National Telecommunicators Week in April 2018. Baker acknowledged Reneau would have faced disciplinary action if she still worked with the department but said he couldn't see anything that would have been cause for termination or a criminal investigation. Reputation management expert reveals why it doesn't just happen to How did Russia lose HALF of its 45,000 elite paratroopers in just seven months? Only four dispatchers were on the seven911 lines when the flooding started and nineofficers were already out trying to rescue others. Diskretiseringsfel kan vanligtvis minskas genom att anvnda ett mer fint frdelat gitter, med en kad b Reneau was on her last day as a 911 operator when the call was made, having turned in her notice two weeks earlier. Her car had been swept . Donna Reneau was working her final shift on August 24 when she received a frantic call from Debra Stevens, 47, having given in her notice two weeks earlier. When we are unsuccessful, it hurts.". 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