donna reneau dispatcher apology

24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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. "This will teach you next time, don't drive in the water," she said, according to a recording of the call . According to the news release, When first responders were finally able to reach Mrs. Stevens and extract her from the vehicle, she had tragically succumbed to drowning., Fort Smith Police Chief Danny Baker says the dispatcher that took the 911 of Debra Stevens is not employed with the city anymore. and pic.twitter.com/gduzYnLada, Susan Morris (@SLMH93) August 30, 2019. 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. Baker said 911 had been inundated with calls at the time from people who were also stranded in flood waters. Baker said 911 had been inundated with calls at the time from people who were also stranded in flood waters. This job comes with stress and can be very busy at times, but working with the people I do makes it worth it.. Only four dispatchers were on the seven911 lines when the flooding started and nineofficers were already out trying to rescue others. 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. She's a former 911 dispatcher who used to save lives with her calls daily. 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. 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. Every police officer on duty is busy on other calls. and At one point, Stevens even apologized for 'being rude' to the dispatcher due to her constant pleas for help. The horrific 911 audio has revealed Donna Reneau lecturing the distraught woman who feared for her life after driving into flood waters and telling her to 'shut up' in the moments before she drowned. This petition starter stood up and took action. '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. Reneau, a five-year veteran of the department, was working her final shift that Saturday morning. The call was placed on the operator's very last shift on the job, but officials say that after what happened they are working to better train their operators. Unfortunately, in the process, she got trapped by flash flooding. Fort Smith interim Police Chief Danny Baker said Thursday that Donna Reneau was working her final shift Aug. 24 when Debra Stevens died. '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. 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. 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", 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. "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. Unfortunately, what she's going to be remembered for more than all the calls where she maybe actually helped people is one of the last calls of her career where she berated a drowning woman named Debra Stevens who called 911 for help after getting caught up in a flash flood. She begged for the dispatcher to send help and said she was scared. A date has not been set for a memorial service for Stevens. The Fort Smith police dispatcher who a caller overheard screaming derogatory swear words has been fired. At one point, Stevens even apologized for 'being rude' to the dispatcher due to her constant pleas for help. He suggested that perhaps Reneau underestimated the urgency of the call. Her actions should make everyone sick. 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. Reneau was on her last day as a 911 operator when the call was made, having turned in her notice two weeks earlier. A date has not been set for a memorial service for Stevens. The. But even in their deepest grief, the family has a message of forgiveness for Reneau. You had to go right over it, she said. It is so unfortunate that her entire career willbe defined by this single incident. Since Reneau no longer works for the. I'm gonna drown,'" Diane recalled. Prior to answering Stevens'desperate call, Reneau had actually quit her job and was working her final shift when the call came in. Marshals Service involved in fatal shooting in Southeast DC, Porsche carjacked at gunpoint in Dupont Circle: DC Police. 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. 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. 2023byTango Publishing Corporation All Rights Reserved. ', Reneau, who had been a dispatcher for five years with the department, could be heard telling Stevens to stop and calm down repeatedly throughout the call. Meanwhile, the department's investigation into the matter is ongoing. She was later found dead. The content produced by YourTango is for informational and educational purposes only. 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 faced no criminal charges in Stevens death. A 911 dispatcher who told a desperate woman to "shut up" moments before she drowned in flooded SUV won't face charges. Responders begin trying to get to vehicle, donning life vests and ropes. Girl, 2, looks star-struck as she presents Kate with a gift of Daffodils for St David's Mike Tindall's latest money-making scheme! Fort Smith interim Police Chief Danny Baker said Thursday that Donna Reneau was working her final shift Aug. 24 when Debra Stevens died. It is not clear if Stevens' 911 call was the last one she took. 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 said she realized she should not have said some of the things she did.. The review concluded that she had done her jobas required. The audio of the 911 call was. 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. In the 911 recording . 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 killed her. I'm going to drown! He needs to be fired. 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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. There were other factors that contributed to what went wrong. ", "Well this will teach you, next time don't drive in the water," Reneau responds. 5.16am: Rescue boat arrives and is launched. 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. When we are unsuccessful, it hurts.". Fort Smith Police Chief Danny Baker revealed Thursday that 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. Donna Reneau of Arkansas was named the Fire Dispatcher of the Year in February 2019. 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? FORT SMITH, Ark. 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. Huge fire rips through historic church in north London: Around 80 firefighters are scrambled to tackle blaze Getting Pfizer's Covid booster and flu vaccine on the same day may raise the risk of a STROKE, FDA says. 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. and I dont want to die, she repeated. Stevens later drowned. 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. As Stevens began to panic, Reneau's responses . 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. glasfiberpool installation. 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. The 911 call was in EXCESS of 20 minutes. Furious motorist is fined 650 after council worker paints disabled bay around his parked car. When we are unsuccessful, it hurts.". I dont want to die, she said. DONNA RENEAU. Operator Donna Reneau took that call at 4:38am. Miss Debbie' before saying 'Oh my god. Rebecca Jane Stokesis a writer living in Brooklyn, New York with her cats, Batman and Margot. Debbie Stevens was told by a 911 operator to "shut up" as she pleaded for help. 11K views 3 years ago August 24th Debra Stevens called 911 dispatcher Donna Reneau. 5.16am: Rescue boat arrives and is launched. A . "I do forgive her, even though it's hard," said Rebeca. In fact, the evidence shows that while Operator Reneau spoke rudely to Mrs. Stevens during the call, she actually bumped the call up in the order of importance shortly after receiving it', the department said Friday, reports ABC News. Miss Debbie' before saying 'Oh my god. 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. When asked, "What did you like most about your job?" 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. 'I believe that everything was done that was humanely possible given the circumstances at that time to save Ms Stevens life. 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. Her car had been swept . 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. The water just didn't appear,' Reneau said. 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. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Our website services, content and products are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Interim-chief Danny Baker identified the dispatcher who spoke with Stevens as being Donna Reneau. and She had submitted her two-weeks' notice in early August. 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. Reneau had resigned from the department prior to this incident, . Newly released 911 audio reveals the final moments of an Arkansas newspaper delivery woman as she drowned in her car. "She was brokenhearted.". It is not clear if Stevens' 911 call was the last one she took. U.S. FOX News. 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." Debra Stevens, 47, pictured left was on her regular newspaper route when a flash flood swept up her car. 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