(Photo credit: E-Comm 911)
By Adam Berls
top 911 nuisance calls

Top 911 nuisance calls include asking 911 why a traffic light was taking too long to turn green

Dec 29, 2023 | 1:38 PM

PRINCE GEORGE — B.C.’s largest emergency communications centre is issuing a reminder on what constitutes an emergency call amidst record breaking year for calls to 911. E-Comm has released its tenth annual list of nuisance calls, and every one of those calls takes away from actual emergency situations.

British Columbia saw an increase of 13% in call volume to 911 in 2023, and part of that 13 percent, were nuisance calls. E-Comm handles 99% of B.C.’s 911 call volume, and handled more than 2.1 million 911 calls so far in 2023.

Among the calls in the top 10 list are:

  1. Asking for directions home from a Drake concert
  2. The traffic light was taking too long to turn green
  3. They lost a nose ring down the shower drain
  4. Their AirBnB host cancelled their reservation
  5. Their UberEats order was taking too long
  6. A burger joint wouldn’t let them in before opening
  7. They couldn’t find their cell phone-
  8. To complain about a pothole
  9. Their McDonalds order was taking too long
  10. The barber gave them a bad haircut
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Despite these ridiculous calls, 911 call takers has to take each and everyone of them seriously. Alaina Milicevic, police call taker at E-Comm, explains that “every second we spend fielding questions about AirBnB reservations or complaints about UberEats orders, is time that could otherwise be dedicated to helping someone in a life-threatening emergency situation. We can’t help you with consumer complaints on 911, but reaching out to an appropriate customer service agent, or filing a report with the Better Business Bureau might help resolve your issue.”

911 is for police, fire or medical emergencies when immediate action is required: someone’s health, safety or property is in jeopardy or a crime is in progress.

E-Comm also has some tips on the proper use of 911:

  • Know your location at all times
  • Don’t program 911 into any phone
  • If you call 911 accidentally, stay on the line and let us know
  • Lock and store your cellphone carefully to prevent accidental 911 calls
  • Do not text or tweet 911
  • Call takers cannot transfer your non-emergency call from 911, visit nonemergency.ca for a list of alternate resources for reporting non-emergency matters

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—

Twitter: @AdamBerls

Email: Adam.Berls@pattisonmedia.com

by Adam Berls

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