Gov. Gina Raimondo has appointed J. David Smith as the new associate director of Rhode Island’s Emergency 911 center following the abrupt removal of his predecessor in March.
Lynn Arditi
Lynn joined The Public's Radio as health reporter in 2017 after more than three decades as a journalist, including 28 years at The Providence Journal. Her series "A 911 Emergency," a project of the 2019 ProPublica Local Reporting Network, won the Scripps Howard National Journalism Award in the radio/podcast category in 2020.
A native of New York City, she graduated from Oberlin College and landed her first journalism job at The Center for Investigative Reporting (now known as Reveal) in Washington, D.C., where she did story development for 60 Minutes. When the T.V. market imploded in 1987, the D.C. office of CIR closed and within a year she moved to Massachusetts to take a reporting job at the former Holyoke Transcript-Telegram, a small daily newspaper.
A year later, she moved to Providence, R.I. to work at The Providence Journal. There, she worked for several years as a bureau reporter covering schools and local issues, before she began covering statewide beats including higher education, the economy, housing and health care. During those years, she also honed her skills in narrative journalism, and served as chairwoman of the newspaper’s writing committee. Her work has been recognized by New England Associated Press News Executives Association and the Society of American Business Editors & Writers.
Posted inArticle, Health
Going Quiet: More States Are Hiding 911 Recordings From Families, Lawyers and the General Public
Troy Phillips has tried everything to piece together his brother’s final moments and figure out if he received CPR. Rhode Island’s secretive 911 laws have gotten in the way.
Posted inArticle, Health
After Serious 911 Mishaps, Rhode Island Will Now Pay for Better Training
Lagging rates of cardiac arrest survival and bystander CPR in Rhode Island could soon improve if lawmakers approve a budget allocating $220,000 to strengthen 911 call taker training.
Posted inArticle, Health
One Cardiac Arrest. Four 911 Callers. And a Tragic Outcome.
Rhode Island’s 911 operators are unprepared to handle cardiac arrest calls, and Rena Fleury, 45, lost her life.
Posted inArticle, Health
After Baby’s Death, Rhode Island 911 Operators May Receive Enhanced Training.
This article was produced in partnership with The Public’s Radio, which is a member of the ProPublica Local Reporting Network. PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island’s state police superintendent is recommending that all of the state’s 911 call takers be trained to provide emergency medical instructions over the phone before first-responders arrive. Col. James M. Manni […]
Posted inArticle, Health
Doctors, EMS Leaders Call for Changes to Rhode Island’s 911 System
At a legislative hearing, witnesses decried the lack of CPR instructions provided by call takers at the state’s 911 center. Meanwhile, the State Police superintendent pledged to review procedures and training of 911 call takers.
Posted inArticle, Health
Rhode Island’s Emergency 911 System – Share Your Story
Rhode Island 911 telecommunicators rarely instruct callers in CPR, doctors and EMS officials say. Better training could save hundreds more cardiac arrest victims per year, experts say. Read the full story here. The Public’s Radio and the ProPublica Local Reporting Network are spending the year examining Rhode Island’s 911 emergency system. If you’ve called 911 […]
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RI 911 Acting Director Removed From Post
The acting director of Rhode Island’s 911 emergency system has been removed from his post after State Police learned he’d been training 911 call takers in CPR without proper certification.
Posted inArticle, Health
Marijuana & Medicine – Presented With The Providence Athenaeum
Join the Athenæum and The Public’s Radio for a panel discussion moderated by health reporter Lynn Arditi about the debate over medical marijuana.
Posted inArticle, Health
Emergency Room Crowding Spiked In 2018
Rhode Island hospitals are turning away more ambulances due to crowded emergency rooms.
