Warning: Contains Distressing Content
Debra Stevens/Facebook/FSPDA former 911 dispatcher from Arkansas who impatiently told a caller to ‘shut up’ mere minutes before she drowned has been cleared of wrongdoing.
Fort Smith Police Department dispatcher Donna Reneau made headlines in August after responding unsympathetically to a 911 call made by a frantic woman who had accidentally driven into floodwater.
In the phone call, Reneau could be heard lecturing a frightened Debra Stevens, 47, as her vehicle filled with water, stating, ‘this will teach you next time not to drive in the water’.
You can find out more about this case in the following news clip:
The Fort Smith Police Department has now released findings from an internal investigation into the matter, as reported by the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette.
Although it was concluded Reneau had violated policy by showing such coldness towards Debra in her final moments, it was determined she had done nothing which would have warranted her termination.
Deputy director of administration Dean Pitts – who led the internal review – wrote:
Despite the manner in which Reneau spoke to Stevens, I can find no indication of negligence in Reneau’s actions in dispatching first responders, nor in the actions of those who responded to the scene.
Reneau – who has faced no criminal charges – had handed in her notice two weeks prior to Debbie’s death on August 24. She had been working her final shift when she took the tragic call.
FSPDIn his report, Pitts wrote that Reneau would have indeed faced a review had she still been employed as a dispatcher.
However, if she had been found to be violation of policy, Pitts stated that ‘such a violation would not merit a measure of discipline as strict as termination’:
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 one’s voice.
However, several of the statements made by Reneau certainly pass beyond the need to take control of the conversation. These statements would qualify as a violation of the City of Fort Smith Human Resources Policies.
According to this report, ‘sincere efforts’ had been made to save Debra’s life and – despite her rudeness – Reneau had performed her required duties.
Pitts wrote that Reneau hadn’t realised the water could have risen so rapidly, and was also unaware it could rise to over 3ft deep:
Reneau said she had not had any training about flash floods or swift water, so she was not aware of how deep the flash floods could get or how quickly.
She regretted telling her she was not going to die most of all, but she also regretted not being more kind and understanding.
Reneau said she realized she should not have said some of the things she did, but much of it was necessary to get Debbie’s attention so that she could get important information from her.
Congratulations to Donna Reneau for being selected as the Fire Dispatcher of the Year!
Posted by Fort Smith Police Department on Thursday, February 7, 2019
Going forward, Pitts has proposed a number of recommendations for the department to implement, including encouraging dispatches to undertake training courses in flash floods and swift-water situations.
Our thoughts are with the family of Debra Stevens.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677.
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.