WHETHER you’re looking for a 24/7 pharmacy, dissatisfied with your dry cleaning or offended by your neighbour’s cologne – general questions, consumer complaints and lifestyle grievances do not belong on 9-1-1.
E-Comm, which handles approximately two million 9-1-1 calls per year, on Monday released its annual list of top ten unusual calls that were received by emergency police call takers at E-Comm in 2024, in order to raise awareness of the importance of keeping 9-1-1 lines for emergencies only.
“We understand that some of these situations might feel urgent to the individual in the moment, but 9-1-1 is not the appropriate number to call if your power goes out or you require tech support,” says E-Comm police call taker Laura. “We must treat every call as an emergency until we know otherwise and each second we spend responding to a call that does not belong on 9-1-1 is time we could be getting help to someone in a life-threating emergency.”
Top 10 List of Calls that did NOT belong on 9-1-1 in 2024
- Their neighbour was wearing too much cologne
- The dry cleaners stained their shirt
- McDonald’s wouldn’t open their doors
- They wanted directions to a 24/7 Shoppers Drug Mart
- Complaining the power was out
- Requesting technical support
- The box of 38 avocados they purchased were rotten
- They left their phone in an Uber
- Requesting help removing a wasp nest
- There was a domesticated-looking bunny in the park
E-Comm is asking everyone to do their part by helping keep 9-1-1 lines free for in-progress crimes or emergencies that require immediate help from police, fire or ambulance only.
“Most people do use 9-1-1 responsibly, and we absolutely want the public to call for help when they need it in an emergency,” says police call taker Kuzivakwashe. “By directing your non-urgent calls to the appropriate resources such as your local police non-emergency line, you are helping to ensure our call takers are available for real emergency situations.”
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 them 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, nonemergency.ca for a list of alternate resources for reporting non-emergency matters
