Emergency service numbers are unfortunately not always used for emergencies.
E-Comm, the company responsible for answering 99% of the province’s 9-1-1 calls, has released a list of the strangest nuance calls they have received this past year.
Some of the erroneous emergency calls included:
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a hotel parking spot was too small
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a hair salon didn’t style their hair properly
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a gas station wouldn’t let them use the washroom
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To enquire why traffic was so bad
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A coin laundry machine didn’t have enough water
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their neighbour was vacuuming late at night
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requesting that police bring a shovel to dig their car out of the snow in front of their house.
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police were being ‘too loud’ responding to an emergency and requesting they come back in the morning
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seeking information about water restrictions
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a report of a broken ATM
These types of calls pose serious issues for emergency operators according to Jasmine Bradley, Corporate Communication Manager for E-Comm.
“Call takers can’t just dismiss nuisance calls right away. They need to take the time to ask a whole bunch of questions to make sure that the person is actually safe and that there is not an emergency happening behind the scenes.”
Furthermore, anytime a lifeline is not used for a real emergency, people’s health, safety and property are put at risk.
Bradley also explained the RCMP has the ability to charge people with public mischief as a result of these types of calls.
E-Comm noticed a troubling new trend of people who knowingly call 9-1-1 for non-emergencies.
British Columbians are strongly urged to consider calling their municipality, DriveBC, or non-emergency lines for minor grievances.