Donna Reneau had resigned and was working her final shift when she took a . To leave an online tribute, visitwww.edwardsfuneralhome.com. 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? She couldve been deemed to have broken human resource standards if shed still been an employee but nothing to merit a measure of discipline as strict as termination, Pitts wrote. Dispatcher begins gathering information. He said this emphasizes the need for more telecommunication training. Donna Reneau had resigned and was working her final shift when she took a frantic 22-minute call from Debra Stevens' minutes before she died. The face of #EVIL #donnareneau. ", Reneau also tells her at another point, "You're gonna have to shut up, OK?". 5.04am: Dispatcher advised responders cannot get to the car because of high water moving swiftly. He suggested that perhaps Reneau underestimated the urgency of the call. Reneau had turned in her. I'm horribly sorry that it wasn't possible'. Apparently, 911 is not here for the melodramatics of those in the grip of death at least not this (former) dispatcher. 'You're not the only one who has been stuck in the water. Stevens eventually asked the dispatcher to pray with her while she waited for first responders to arrive and Reneau replied: 'You go ahead and start the prayer'. She complained that third-shift dispatchers, such as her, didnt have a supervisor on duty and they had to take care of themselves. All of our first responders who attempted to save Mrs. Stevens are distraught over the outcome. Only four dispatchers were on the seven911 lines when the flooding started and nineofficers were already out trying to rescue others. and "We'll get you help and get you out of there." 5.02am: Responders report they have located the vehicle. Reneau had resigned from the department prior to this incident, . Im sorry maam, I didnt see it, she said. Reneau said, "The ability to help people in a time of an emergency." 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. Reneau's interactions with Stevens made national news. Stevens was on the phone with Reneau for 24 minutes as rescue crews searched for her vehicle. 4.38am: 911 call received. Reneau does not face any criminal charges in Stevens' death. . Pictured above is dashcam video of authorities searching for her car. I'm horribly sorry that it wasn't possible.'. 'It's a tragic thing, I understand that. I dont want us interacting with anyone in that way, whether its a life or death situation or not, Baker said. Is there maybe things we need to look at in our response? Her car had been swept . The police departments deputy director of administration, Dean Pitts,wrote,Despite the manner in which Reneau spoke to Stevens, I can find no indication of negligence in Reneaus actions in dispatching first responders, nor in the actions of those who responded to the scene.. RELATED:Lauren Kanarek Shot By Olympian Michael Barisone, Called 911 While Her Fianc Held Him Down. "And, while the operator's response to this extremely tense and dynamic event sounds calloused and uncaring at times, sincere efforts were being made to locate and save Mrs. Stevens," the police statement added. "I do forgive her, even though it's hard," said Rebeca. The woman's call was answered by dispatcher Donna Reneau (pictured above), who was working her last shift as a 911 operator after she resigned earlier this month. Unfortunately, in the process, she got trapped by flash flooding. ", 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. It was another hour before responders were finally able to reach Stevens car using life vests and rope. Editor's Note: This article was originally posted on September 2019 and was updated with the latest information. Reneau had submitted her resignation earlier in August and was on her last shift when Stevenss call came in. 'Am I not on the phone with you trying to get you some help?' We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Sopranos star John Ventimiglia's daughter Odele dead at 25: Family is 'heartbroken' by her passing just Boris Johnson lands 500k advance for his eagerly-awaited memoir covering his time as Prime Minister. Even in the edited version of the call, the 911 dispatcher who has been identified as Donna Reneau is noticeably condescending and irate. 'You're not going to die. Stevens, 47, drowned as she begged Reneau to send someone to rescue her. "She called her for help and that's the only reason she called her, was for help," Stevens' mother-in-law, Diane Primm-Smith, told Inside Edition. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Stevens asked Reneau if the police would take her home after she was rescued so she could care for her dogs. Reneau's actions are now being investigated by the Fort Smith PD. Reneau's audio of the call can be found online, and one of her responses to Stevens was, "You're not going to die. The recording (edited to remove sensitive content) was released by the Fort Smith Police Department in an effort to remain as transparent as possible regarding events that transpired during Stevens failed rescue. Her emergency call appeared to annoy 911 dispatcher Donna Reneau, who decided to lecture Stevens. "The 911 call came in at 4:38 a.m. and was answered by Donna Reneau, who had previously turned in her two . Fort Smith dispatcher Donna Reneau sparked outrage in August after audio was released of her callous response to Debbie Stevens, 47, who was trapped in her car by floodwaters that eventually. 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". 911 dispatcher, Donna Reneau, who was working her last shift after putting in her two weeks notice, is under fire for her "uncaring" response. 'No evidence of criminal negligence or activities on former Operator Reneau's part. Debra Stevens, 47, pictured left was on her regular newspaper route when a flash flood swept up her car. Absolutely', he said. 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. So now he is demanding an apology. 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. (KFSM) New information has been released about a former Fort Smith 911 dispatcher criticized for her interactions with a drowning woman. She told Baker and Solis she would consider a part-time position with the department. The dispatcher told her to "shut up" & "Well, this will teach you. Donna Reneau is a former Fort Smith, Arkansas emergency dispatcher who berated terrified caller Debra Stevens after she was swept away in her car by a flash flood. 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. 5.16am: Rescue boat arrives and is launched. 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. 'I believe that everything was done that was humanely possible given the circumstances at that time to save Ms Stevens 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. pic.twitter.com/gduzYnLada, Susan Morris (@SLMH93) August 30, 2019. '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. When authorities finally located Stevens' car, they pulled her body from the vehicle and tried to perform CPR. Authorities responded to the scene 12 minutes after Stevens dialed 911, but it took more than an hour to reach Stevens' vehicle because of the floodwaters. Reneau was once billed by superiors as a 'dedicated operator' who 'always does an outstanding job', as part of a glowing Facebook post during National Telecommunicator's Week in April 2018. For every one of us, saving lives is at the very core of who we are and why we do what we do. 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. 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'. Until August 2019, Reneau had an extremely stressful job. Reneau had worked for the Fort Smith Police Department for five years, serving as a certified trainer for new employees, and was named fire dispatcher of the year in February, according to. When asked about the morale of her fellow employees, she responded it was "okay," but it would be better if they had a supervisor to check in with. Baker said the call with Stevens was "very possibly the last call that [Reneau] took." She also said another reason for her leaving was she felt like there was no way to "move up" within the department. 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. By Rebecca Jane Stokes Written on May 24, 2020. - 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. 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 22-minutes 9-1-1 call, which she was thankful that Baker "personally reached out to her to check on her after the traumatic incident". So calm down.'. Stevens eventually drowned. '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. 11 Strict Rules That Elon Musk Makes His Girlfriends & Wives Follow, Justin Bieber Suspected As The Father Of Kourtney Kardashian's Son Reign (Instead Of Scott Disick), Why Kate Moss Was 'Scared' & 'Couldn't Get Out Of Bed For Weeks' After Working With Mark Wahlberg. Reneau faced no criminal charges in Stevens death. Stevens had been. Dispatcher begins gathering information. A . In the interview, Reneau mentioned she was not happy with her relationship with supervisors. An external investigation by an outside agency is also taking place. A Fort Smith Police investigation into Debra . By the time rescue crews were able to secure the car, Stevens had drowned. UPDATE: FORT SMITH, Ark. 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. She says the vehicle is now moving in the water'. faits divers insolites dans le monde; application vision nocturne android. Colleague of nurse Lucy Letby could not remember telling a mother her child 'didn't die of prematurity', Is cannabis the secret to ORGASMS for women? Prince Harry 'hated woke nonsense' and 'made jokes we are no longer allowed to make' before meeting Meghan, 'We met a Princess'! 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. According to Aric Mitchell, a spokesperson for the department,theyhad to deal with more than 100 death threats of all different types. 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. 4.54am: Police/fire report difficulty locating vehicle. Ralph R. Ortega For Dailymail.com Debbie Stevens (left) drowned on Aug. 24 while being scolded by 911 dispatcher Donna Reneau. Feel like youre always looking at a screen? The dispatcher hung up. Reneau said, "The ability to help people in a time of an emergency." 'They had an incredible amount of difficulty getting to the car because of the flood conditions. 5.00am: 911 call is disconnected between caller and dispatch. Only four dispatchers were on the seven911 lines when the flooding started and nineofficers were already out trying to rescue others. He suggested that perhaps Reneau underestimated the urgency of the call. Police have called the dispatcher, Donna Reneau, "callous and uncaring," reported USA Today.. 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