4.58am: Responders on scene advise all others to take alternate routes to the scene as main roads are blocked by water. Tragically, there were other factors that kept help from getting to Stevens before she lost her life. 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. Here's what we know about Donna Reneau, the 911 call, and the fallout of her actions. 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. . and
911 dispatcher, Donna Reneau, who was working her last shift after putting in her two weeks . Rebecca Jane Stokesis a writer living in Brooklyn, New York with her cats, Batman and Margot. Volunteers join frantic hunt for aristocrat's missing baby: Hundreds of police and search and rescue experts Father-of-three drowned in hot tub while on weekend break to Welsh seaside with his family, inquest hears. Congratulations to Donna Reneau for being selected as the Fire Dispatcher of the Year! Please sign this petition so that we can get Donna Reneau prosecuted for her crimes and bring some peace and closure to the family of Debra Stevens. - 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. She worked in Fort Smith, Arkansas as a 911 dispatcher. This story was reported from Cincinnati. She also stated that she liked the family-oriented atmosphere. 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. 'It's a tragic thing, I understand that. Fort Smith Police chief Danny Baker issued a statement, saying, "I am heartbroken for this tragic loss of life and my prayers are with Debras family and friends.
In the interview, Reneau mentioned she was not happy with her relationship with supervisors. He said the police department would be investigating its policies into responses and their dispatch center in the wake of Stevens' death. I'm horribly sorry that it wasn't possible.'. ", 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. 17 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from 'donnareneau' hashtag When Stevens called, the Fort Smith Police Department staff was stretched thin. 5NEWS has obtained an exit interview. (Facebook/Fort Smith Police Department) An Arkansas woman who called 911 to get help was met with mockery and a lecture by the dispatcher as she was drowning. Believe it or not, in February 2019, she was named "Fire Dispatcher of the Year. ', After it started to sound like Stevens was speaking underwater, Reneau said: 'Miss Debbie? The floods came on Reneau's last day at work after giving in her notice two weeks prior. I don't know how you didn't see it, you had to go right over it. Please help me. "The 911 call came in at 4:38 a.m. and was answered by Donna Reneau, who had previously turned in her two . It is not clear if Stevens' 911 call was the last one she took. Editor's Note: This article was originally posted on September 2019 and was updated with the latest information. This job comes with stress and can be very busy at times, but working with the people I do makes it worth it.. 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. ', 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. Unfortunately, the final call of her career is what she will be remembered for, and how she. . Fort Smith interim Police Chief Danny Baker said Thursday that Donna Reneau was working her final shift Aug. 24 when Debra Stevens died. Debra Stevens did die. 'Donna is one of the dedicated operators that you would hear on the other end of the phone if you called with a problem in the middle of the night Donna is a professional and dedicated operator that always does an outstanding job. 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. The water just didn't appear', Reneau said. Every police officer on duty is busy on other calls. But the operator then appeared to scold Stevens, prompting the woman to at one point even apologize to Reneau, something Stevens' family says is typical Debbie. 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. 5.00am: 911 call is disconnected between caller and dispatch. 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.
Reneau responded: 'A lot of people have called in on you, so don't think people are just sitting there. Operator Donna Reneau took that call at 4:38am. "She was brokenhearted.". (KFSM) New information has been released about a former Fort Smith 911 dispatcher criticized for her interactions with a drowning woman. 5.58am: Rescuers get to vehicle and remove Stevens' body. She was also heard in the call telling Stevens to "shut up.". The recently-released recording of her 911 call that morning paints a vivid picture of her tragic final moments before she drowned. Reneau submitted her resignation before the incident happened and August 24th was her last day on . Marshals Service involved in fatal shooting in Southeast DC, Porsche carjacked at gunpoint in Dupont Circle: DC Police. See additional information. At one point, amid Stevens' cries and pleas for help, Reneau told her, "You're not gonna die, I don't know why you're freaking out A . Reneau does not face any criminal charges in Stevens' death. After an internal investigation, it was deemed that Reneau had violated department policy by acting rude toward Stevens. 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. RELATED:New Details About A Baby Who Was Accidentally Locked Inside A Hot Car And Why A 911 Operator Refused To Send Police To Help. This person right here, let's make her famous for being the sorriest human being in Arkansas right now." Treat went on to say, "As Debra Stevens was swept away in flood waters in Fort Smith last week, this dispatcher did nothing but patronize and belittle her, as she slowly drowned. She told the dispatcher that she could see some people standing on their balcony watching and noted she thought it was 'pretty rude' they weren't helping her. An officer had donned a life vest and was ready to go into the water with a rope tied to him because the speed and volume of water was too much. By
During the 22-minute-long call at 4.38 am, Stevens repeatedly told the emergency worker that the water was rising up past her chest and had filled up the inside of her SUV. 'It's a tragic thing, I understand that. 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." It is not clear if Stevens' 911 call was the last one she took. That said, he believes it is just people lashing out because they are upset and thatthere isnt anything that would rise to a threat level of concern, as most appear to be from out-of-state and include no specificity.". The content produced by YourTango is for informational and educational purposes only. Debbie Stevens, 47, pictured left was on her regular newspaper route when a flash flood swept up her car. "I don't see how you didn't see it, you had to go right over it, so.". Donna Reneau of Arkansas was named the Fire Dispatcher of the Year in February 2019. In the 911 recording . iPhone users claim Apple is trying to TRICK them into Are YOU at risk of being cancelled? 5.16am: Rescue boat arrives and is launched. Please sign this petition so that we can get Donna Reneau prosecuted for her crimes and bring some peace and closure to the family of Debra Stevens. The 911 call came in at 4:38 a.m. and was answered by Donna Reneau, who had previously turned in her two weeks notice and on that day was working her final shift. You had to go right over it, she said. She worked in Fort Smith, Arkansas as a 911 dispatcher. All Rights Reserved. Stevens had been delivering. Female carer who bit off part of a pub landlady's ear during vicious bar brawl is jailed for 14 months. Reneau also suggested dispatchers get a distress break after taking a high-stress call. A former Arkansas 911 dispatcher was cleared of wrongdoing following accusations that she mishandled a call with a drowning woman and told her to "shut up" just moments before she died. 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. I dont want to die, Stevens tells the operator, identified as Donna Reneau, in the released call. 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. 'You're not going to die. 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. A 911 dispatcher who told a desperate woman to "shut up" moments before she drowned in flooded SUV won't face charges. called 911 on his parents for making him eat a salad. 5.16am: Rescue boat arrives and is launched. Reneau had submitted her two weeks' notice of resignation earlier in August and was working her last shift as a police dispatcher, according to Fort Smith Interim Police Chief Danny Baker. According to a news release from the Fort . Reneau faced no criminal charges in Stevens death. 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. The call ends with Stevens screaming that she couldn't breathe as the water drowned her. When do the clocks change in 2023? ", "Well this will teach you, next time don't drive in the water," Reneau responds. 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All Rights Reserved. In the 911 recording . 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. By Luke Kenton and Emily Crane For Dailymail.com, Published: 16:27 GMT, 31 August 2019 | Updated: 06:41 GMT, 23 December 2019. 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. There was a public outcry after audio of Donna Reneau was released of her call with Debbie Stevens, who was in a frenzied panic when her car got stuck in floodwaters. Reneau brought up a few key points during her exit interview: Debbie Stevens died after her car was swept away by flash flooding on Kinkead Avenue while delivering papers, Saturday, Aug. 24. 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. The review concluded that she had done her jobas required. I'm scared! Im sorry maam, I didnt see it, she said. ", The Chief of Police reported that in spite of what is being presented, Reneau is a "good, decent human being who has saved countless lives in the last five years. Our website services, content and products are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The dispatcher, Donna Reneau, repeatedly told a sobbing Ms. Stevens to calm down. Until August 2019, Reneau had an extremely stressful job. 'Am I not on the phone with you trying to get you some help?' 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. When asked, "What did you like most about your job?" They had an incredible amount of difficulty getting to the car because of the flood conditions. 5.04am: Dispatcher advised responders cannot get to the car because of high water moving swiftly. 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. Reneau also told the two she would be paid four-times more working as a cardiac sonographer than as a Fort Smith dispatcher. Unfortunately, in the process, she got trapped by flash flooding. Reneau submitted her resignation before the incident happened and August 24th was her last day on . glasfiberpool installation. The call was answered by Donna Reneau, who was working her final shift as a Fort Smith Police Department dispatcher, after having resigned from her job two weeks before. Reneau scolded her for not being more careful and for not knowing the area. and
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. Emergency dispatcher Donna Reneau told caller Debbie Stevens to "shut up" as Stevens was drowning. Stevens: "Please help me. 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. By Rebecca Jane Stokes Written on May 24, 2020. "I'm scared. Stevens called 911 . Debbie Stevens (left) drowned on Aug. 24 while being scolded by 911 dispatcher Donna Reneau. FORT SMITH, Ark. and
11K views 3 years ago August 24th Debra Stevens called 911 dispatcher Donna Reneau. When Stevens said she needed to vomit, Reneau hit back saying: 'Well you're in water, you can throw up it's not going to matter. 5.00am: 911 call is disconnected between caller and dispatch. '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. Stevens said the floodwaters had picked up the SUV up and the vehicle was starting to move. Reneau's interactions with Stevens made national news. She was later found dead. 'You're not going to die. 'They had an incredible amount of difficulty getting to the car because of the flood conditions. She complained that third-shift dispatchers, such as her, didnt have a supervisor on duty and they had to take care of themselves. 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. Unfortunately, the final call of her career is what she will be remembered for, and how she. 4.38am: 911 call received. Reneau could be heard telling Stevens to stop crying and calm down. 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. First Published: 10:49 AM PDT, September 25, 2019. They're not going to get themselves in danger just because you put yourself in danger.'. When authorities finally located Stevens' car, they pulled her body from the vehicle and tried to perform CPR. Donna Reneau, who was working her last shift after previously resigning, answered Steven's call for help and at times she can be heard yelling at her before she drowns. She hasn't been charged with any crime. The manner that she spoke during this conversation would have probably been addressed, but it would have been more a rudeness quality-type service complaint. There was no investigation by her former employers, since she no longer worked there. Reneau was on her last day as a 911 operator when the call was made, having turned in her notice two weeks earlier. The Associated Press contributed. Dean Pitts, who led the police departments review, said despite the manner in which Reneau spoke to Stevens, there was no negligence in Reneaus actions in dispatching first responders or in the actions of those who responded to the scene. And August 24th was her last day as a 911 operator when the call ends Stevens. Is not clear if Stevens ' car, they pulled her body from the and. Arkansas as a Fort Smith, Arkansas as a 911 dispatcher Donna Reneau, in the interview Reneau. 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