These are BC’s top 10 most ridiculous 9-1-1 calls of 2023

Amidst a surge in emergency calls inundating BC’s 911 services, E-Comm, the province’s primary emergency communications hub, has sounded a clarion call for citizens to reserve these lines strictly for life-threatening situations.

In a record-breaking year that witnessed a staggering 13 percent increase in 911 calls, E-Comm released its annual list of the top 10 nuisance calls, shedding light on bizarre reasons that inundate emergency lines.

From seeking directions home after a Drake concert to complaints about a nose ring lost down a shower drain, these instances fall outside the realm of emergencies.

“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,” said Alaina Milicevic, a 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.”

These are are E-Comm’s top 10 nuisance calls received in 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

While funny at first, nuisance calls are strongly discouraged to be directed at emergency services such as 911 as it prevents call takers from being able to aid those in distress.

With E-Comm managing over 2.1 million 911 calls in 2023, the organization implored citizens to uphold responsibility, keeping emergency lines clear for situations that demand immediate police, fire, or medical intervention.