- Audio released from a 911 call between a drowning woman and a dispatcher sparked outrage at the dispatcher's "calloused" response.
- Debra Stevens, from Fort Smith, Arkansas, died early Sunday morning after her car was swept up in a flash flood while she was delivering newspapers.
- The dispatcher, at times, reassured Stevens that she would be fine and sought to calm her down. But the dispatcher sounded terse at other points, even telling Stevens to "shut up" so she could speak with first responders.
- The Fort Smith police department said it was reviewing its policies and response training after the incident.
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Audio from a 911 call during a drowning woman's last moments sparked outrage at the dispatcher's "calloused" response, prompting an investigation into the police department's policies and response training.
Debra Stevens, from Fort Smith, Arkansas, drowned early Sunday morning after her car was swept in a flash flood while she was delivering newspapers. First responders were unable to revive her after removing her from the vehicle.
Fort Smith Police Department said in a statement that they released the audio "with great reluctance," due to the tragic nature of Stevens' death and respect for her loved ones. They also released bodycam footage of the incident.
Interim police chief Danny Baker told WILX-10 that the dispatcher was working her last shift when the call came in, after she submitted her resignation two weeks earlier. Baker added that the dispatcher "did nothing criminally wrong," nor did she violate policy — so she would not have been terminated had she not already resigned.
But he said he understands the outrage based on the call, and said they are launching an investigation into the department's policies and response training.
"I understand that listening to a person going through the panic that Ms. Stephens was in those final moments of her life, we would all hope that we would get a little bit better response than perhaps she was given," Baker told WILX-10. "I don't want us interacting with anyone in that way, whether it's a life and death situation or not."
The dispatcher's response 'sounds calloused and uncaring at times,' police said.
Despite the dispatcher's apparently harsh tone in the call, police said in the press release that "sincere efforts were being made to locate and save Mrs. Stevens."
The dispatcher, at times, could be heard reassuring Stevens that she would be fine, and trying to calm her down. At one point, Stevens asked the dispatcher to pray with her, and the dispatcher said she would listen.
But during the call, the 911 dispatcher could also be heard chiding Stevens for trying to go on her paper route during a flash flood.
Stevens: "I'm scared. I've never had anything like this happen to me before."
Dispatcher: "This will teach you next time don't drive in the water."
Stevens: "Couldn't see it, ma'am. I'm sorry, or I wouldn't have."
Dispatcher: "I don't see how you didn't see it. You had to go right over it."
At one moment, Stevens could be heard telling the dispatcher she could see people standing on their balconies in a nearby apartment building as the water levels rise inside of her car.
Stevens: "Those people are standing up in their balconies watching me sitting in this water. That's pretty rude."
Dispatcher: "A lot of people have called in on you, so don't think that nobody is just sitting there. They're not going to get themselves in danger because you put yourself in danger."
Stevens: "I understand that, ma'am, I understand that. I'm just scared."
At another moment, the dispatcher could be heard speaking to a first responder, but Stevens was crying and talking over the dispatcher in the call, prompting the dispatcher to tell her to "shut up."
Here is a timeline of the events from August 24, per the press release:
- 4:38 a.m. — Stevens calls 911, and the dispatcher gathers information as other police officers are occupied taking other calls due to the flash flood.
- 4:50 a.m. — Police and the fire department arrive at the scene.
- 5:00 a.m. — The 911 call is disconnected between Stevens and the dispatcher.
- 5:02 a.m. — Responders report that they located Stevens' vehicle.
- 5:04 a.m. — Responders blocked by high moving waters, attempt to get to the vehicle wearing life vests and ropes.
- 5:16 a.m. — Rescue boat arrives to the scene.
- 5:58 a.m. — Rescuers remove Stevens from the vehicle and begin CPR.
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