Posted on 08/30/2019 11:58:28 AM PDT by Cecily
Horrific 911 audio has revealed a dispatcher lecturing a distraught woman who feared for her life about driving into flood waters and putting herself in danger before telling her to 'shut up' in the moments before she drowned.
Debra Stevens, 47, had been delivering newspapers in the early hours of August 24 in Fort Smith, Arkansas, when she accidentally drove into rising flood waters that swept her SUV off the road.
Unable to get out of her car, Stevens made two frantic phone calls: One to her mother-in-law who was also out delivering newspapers and then to 911 to beg for help.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Same here in NYC. I have often wondered if the city recruits 911 and 311 (supposedly connects you to the right city department to handle your issue--ha!) from special ed graduates or random people they find among the homeless. They are (1) stupid (give AOC a run for her money!), (2) apathetic, and (3) lazy.
Even if she made it out of the car, without a flotation device she could wear or hang onto, she might have drowned in the rushing water.
Maybe someday you’ll learn what you can’t do.
“....and threatened to arrest me.”
I’m curious...for what? There’s no law in going swimming if it is not posted as private property in any state. Thus his order was not lawful as he had no reason to give it.
rwood
Maybe I will.
I’m not criticizing the (now dead) woman, I’m just curious as to why she couldn’t get out of the car. Sad way to die.
“She’s not legally responsible. But she sure as heck has some moral responsibility. Please see my post #18.”
Agreed. In fact, she might have been able, if she had been listening and realized how close this woman was to drowning, been able to give her some ideas on how to escape the car that was rapidly filling with water.
Definitely, but I would add "nasty" to the list as #4...
Every year we have people drive past barriers set to keep them out of flood waters.
A few years ago an EMT in a neighboring town drowned, searching flooded woods on an unfounded report.
Not saying the drowned woman in Arkansas did anything wrong.
I just want and ordered 2 emergency hammers to knock out car windows in case this happens to me also.
Good grief.
I think everybody should know about this. Most cars have headrests like this, and they’re always available:
https://lifehacker.com/use-your-headrest-to-break-a-car-window-in-an-emergency-1496717463
Well, at least many cars do. I know mine does. However if I ever drive into deep, rising water, the first thing I’m doing is opening the windows, if I can. Maybe I’ll look at getting a centrepunch or escape hammer for my glove box.
Thanks.
Nope she needed help. Floods are killers.
Just listened to the whole 911 call. The dispatcher sounds like a horrid person.
Sure, technically, she did her job. But, in the process, she was unnecessarily cruel to a drowning woman.
Public Enemy got one thing right, 911 is a joke.
Good idea. A heavy multi-function tool or knife will do the job too, as will a hefty metal flashlight, although the flashlight won’t cut a seat belt. A big ol’ heavy metal scissors will even do the trick, if one can find a good place to stash it. I like the idea of something that will fit in a storage compartment or glovebox*, as something that’s out and loose / maybe under a seat has multiple disadvantages depending on the situation.
*Does anyone keep gloves in the glovebox anymore? :-)
Many vehicles made in the last 4 years or so use laminated glass (like the windshield) on the side windows instead of tempered glass.
Tempered glass breaks easily with a spring loaded center punch but we saw out laminated glass with basically a saw-z-all blade with a handle and a point to knock a hole with.
You are not going to be able to force the door open if there is more than a few inches up against the outside.
The windows, electric or manual will be wedged shut with a few inches of water.
Electrical is going to fail pretty quickly in deep water.
Getting in the water is going to be quite risky without any type of flotation device.
Best bet is exit a window or sunroof early and go for the top of the vehicle or better yet a tree if possible.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.