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E-Comm releases list of top nuisance 9-1-1 calls in 2023

Contributor
By Contributor
January 1st, 2024

Whether you’re waiting on a traffic light, demanding directions home from the Drake concert, or concerned about your lost nose ring, general questions and complaints do not belong on 9-1-1.

E-Comm, which handles 99 per cent of B.C.’s 9-1-1 call volume, has released its tenth annual list of nuisance calls. And with an increase of 13 per cent in call volume to 9-1-1 in 2023, the reminder to keep lines clear for emergency situations only has never been more critical.

“No matter how absurd a call might be on the surface, we have to treat every 9-1-1 call as an emergency, until we can confidently determine otherwise,” explains Alaina Milicevic, police call taker at E-Comm.

“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 9-1-1, but reaching out to an appropriate customer service agent, or filing a report with the Better Business Bureau might help resolve your issue.”

Nuisance calls are a preventable problem and E-Comm is encouraging British Columbians to do their part by keeping 9-1-1 lines free for emergencies where immediate response is required from police, fire or ambulance.

Top 10 nuisance calls of 2023

  1. To ask for directions home from the 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.

Tips on proper use of 9-1-1

9‑1‑1 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.

  • Know your location at all times;
  • Don’t program 9‑1‑1 into any phone;
  • If you call 9‑1‑1 accidentally, stay on the line and let us know;
  • Lock and store your cellphone carefully to prevent accidental 9-1-1 calls;
  • Do not text or tweet 9-1-1;
  • Call takers cannot transfer your non-emergency call from 9-1-1, visit nonemergency.ca for a list of alternate resources for reporting non-emergency matters.

E-Comm has handled more than 2.1 million 9-1-1 calls so far in 2023. Learn more at ecomm911.ca

This post was syndicated from https://thenelsondaily.com
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