B.C. nuisance 9-1-1 call list: Coffee mix-ups, weather updates, job inquiries

Just because your roommate is messy, that doesn’t mean it’s time to call 9-1-1, but apparently that’s exactly what one person in B.C. thought was the right move.

E-Comm, which handles almost all emergency calls in B.C., has put out its annual list of top nuisance calls, after a year that saw extreme demand on 9-1-1 operators.

At the top of E-Comm’s list for 2021 was someone complaining their coffee order was mixed up.

“I love my morning cup of coffee. But calling 9-1-1 to complain is a misuse of the system and completely unacceptable,” Jasmine Bradley with E-Comm said.

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On top of the ongoing pandemic, operators were also dealing with an influx of calls during the heat dome, wildfires, and flooding emergencies.

“The demand and strain on emergency services was historic,” said Bradley. “The number of 9-1-1 calls that E-Comm was receiving were some of the highest that we’ve ever seen in our organization’s 22-year history.”

In the summer, E-Comm reported record numbers during the heat dome.

One person called to report a pedestrian was splashed on the sidewalk, while others asked for weather updates.

“I remember in particular during the heat dome, one of our call-takers mentioned getting a 9-1-1 calls from people wanting to know when the weather would cool down. We absolutely understand these extreme weather events are disconcerting. People are worried, they’re stressed. But we need to protect our emergency resources.”

Calls that don’t require an emergency response take up valuable time and resources from people who actually do need their help. Bradley says call-takers can’t dismiss these calls right away.

“They need to take the time to ask a series of questions to make sure that there actually isn’t an emergency happening and the person is able to speak freely,” she explained.

“They’ll ask a series of questions, they’ll listen carefully to the background sound … to help them determine whether or not there is an emergency happening. All of that takes time. And every second that a call-taker is dealing with non-urgent matters on the 9-1-1 lines, that’s time that is taken away from helping somebody with a critical life safety issue.”

.@EComm911_info has released its annual list of the worst reasons people called 9-1-1. My favourite might be number 4 – someone called 9-1-1 to enquire about a job as a 9-1-1 call taker… @CityNewsVAN pic.twitter.com/j2ghNdFDzh

— Monika Gul (@MonikaGul) January 7, 2022

Operators also fielded a lot of calls with general questions about COVID-19, including ones about testing and restrictions. Bradley emphasizes that “9-1-1 is absolutely not an information line.”

E-Comm has been putting out lists of “nuisance calls” for years in a bid to educate the public on what constitutes an emergency and what doesn’t. But Bradley says this year feels “a little bit more disheartening.”

“I think that’s purely because of how stretched emergency services has been, including 9-1-1, and how stretched resources continue to be, particularly with the Omicron variant and the spike in cases that we’re seeing in the province.”

The top 10 nuisance calls of 2021

1. The barista mixed up their coffee order
2. A pedestrian was splashed on the sidewalk
3. Requesting a COVID test
4. Enquiring about becoming a 9-1-1 call taker
5. Wanting to know where they could vote during the federal election
6. Looking for weather updates
7. Asking for directions
8. Wondering why the bus wasn’t coming
9. Enquiring about COVID restrictions
10. Reporting a messy roommate