Calling 9-1-1 to complain that a nail salon won’t change your nail polish color tops the list of calls this year wasting valuable resources.
B.C’s largest emergency communications centre, E-Comm released its 2017 list of top 10 reasons to not call 9-1-1 which included:
- Car refusing to move forward at a gas station pump
- To report food was inedible and restaurant refusing to provide refund
- Complaining tenant moved without returning keys
- Calling because someone parked in their parking spot
- Wondering if a washroom closed sign at a popular beach was legitimate
- Complaining gas station wouldn’t accept coins for payment
- Calling to ask if raccoons are dangerous animals
- Asking if there’s a law preventing washing clothes at 6 a.m.
- Calling to check the time following the fall time change
“While these calls are absurd, they’re more common than you might think. The fact is – every time a 9-1-1 call taker handles one of these calls, we waste valuable resources,” says Jody Robertson, executive director of corporate communications.
Robertson reminds the public that 9-1-1 is for police, fire or medical emergencies when immediate action is needed.
With files from Rebecca Dyok.
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