By Canadian Press

911 call taker in B.C. releases 2022 list of frivolous complaints to emergency lines

Jan 4, 2023 | 11:48 AM

VANCOUVER — The agency that handles most emergency calls in British Columbia has announced 2022 was its busiest year, but along with managing life-saving communications, EComm says it is still receiving an unacceptable number of senseless calls.

EComm, which handles all but a fraction of B.C.’s 911 call volume, has released a list of top 10 frivolous complaints it says came in last year.

The list ranges from children drawing with chalk in a playground to a messy roommate, broken windshield wiper, cellphone stuck in a bench and, No. 1 on the list, a malfunctioning nozzle at a gas station.

Call takers say callers often admit they aren’t reporting an emergency but confess they don’t know who else can help, so EComm has posted a comprehensive list of alternative resources on its website at nonemergency.ca.

The agency says in a statement that general queries may not seem serious, but because each one ties up a call taker and could put public safety at risk, callers are urged to check the nonemergency list if they are uncertain before dialing 911.

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EComm says it answered just over 2.1 million 911 calls last year, a 1.8 per cent increase from 2021.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 4, 2023.

The Canadian Press