Authorities in Fort Smith, Arkansas have released audio of a 911 call between a dispatcher and a woman who was trapped in a flash flood and later died.
The caller, Debbie, 47, was stuck in rising water in an apartment complex parking lot when she phoned 911 for help. According to CBS News, the call lasted about 22 minutes before the line went silent around 5 a.m. last Saturday. Police said the dispatcher, Donna, had given her two weeks notice and was working her final shift.
In the recording, Debbie tells the dispatcher she is scared and apologizes. The dispatcher responds that she should stay calm, saying, in part, that panicking would only use up her oxygen. At another point, the dispatcher can be heard telling Debbie that she should not drive in the water in the future. The recording also includes the dispatcher telling her to be quiet.
Police confirmed they have opened an investigation to determine whether proper procedures were followed during the call.
Fort Smith Police Chief Danny Baker said he does not believe the dispatcher understood how serious the situation was. In a statement, he said that listening to someone in that much panic in the final moments of her life, everyone would hope for a better response than she was given.
Baker also said the dispatcher did not commit a crime and that he would not go as far as to say policy was violated. He added that he does not want anyone interacting with callers that way, whether or not the situation is life threatening.
The investigation was ongoing at the time of this report.
