A surge in 911 calls following a power outage in Vancouver on Wednesday morning has led to a reminder that people should only call when there is a genuine emergency.
E-Comm said it experienced a surge in 911 calls during power outages that affected more than 60,000 customers sometime after 9:15 a.m.
According to E-Comm, 911 operators experienced an increase in calls from residents looking for updates on power outages and even asking how to handle four-way stops at intersections where traffic lights were not functioning.
E-Comm said that calling 911 when emergency service is not actually needed ties up operators, who should be helping people in life-or-death situations.
BC Hydro said the power outage was caused by a transmission failure at a substation near Arbutus St. and King Edward Ave.
— With files from Simon Little