Hungry and impatient at how long your delivery order is taking? Don’t call 911 to complain.
On Wednesday, the company that handles 99 per cent of B.C.’s emergency calls released its top 10 list of 911 nuisance calls for 2020.
And topping the list was a person who complained that their food delivery driver did not deliver their meal.
In a press release, E-Comm said, “whether you’re fed up with your food delivery, curious about COVID or have questions about quarantine, 9-1-1 is not the right number to call.”
It says dialing 911 when it isn’t an emergency can put the lives of other British Columbians at risk.
“Calling 9-1-1 to ask a question or report a consumer complaint may seem harmless enough,” E-Comm call taker Megan McMath said in the press release.
“But, what people may not realize is that we need to treat every call as an emergency, until we can determine otherwise. That means that every moment we spend responding to general questions, concerns or complaints takes away from our priority – helping people who need help right away.”
EComm said McMath answered the No. 1 nuisance call on this year’s list, but noted other calls involved pandemic-related enquiries, cars that wouldn’t start, bank cards stuck in ATMs and callers wondering about the time.
Below is E-Comm’s top 10 list for 2020
- Complaining that their food delivery driver did not deliver their meal
- Enquiring if there is a full lockdown for COVID-19
- Wondering if having a trampoline is illegal during COVID-19
- Asking for assistance to apply for CERB
- Complaining that the mattress they had purchased second hand was more soiled than advertised
- Reporting that their bank card was stuck in the ATM
- Reporting their neighbour for smoking in a non-smoking building
- Enquiring about how to enter a career in law enforcement
- Confirming the time
- Asking for help because they were locked out of their car
“We understand that people are frustrated and worried about COVID-19-related issues, but general questions and complaints about the pandemic don’t belong on 9-1-1,” said E-Comm senior communications specialist Kaila Butler.
“Our goal each year with this list of nuisance calls is to drive home the message that we need the public’s help to keep 9-1-1 lines free for people experiencing real emergencies who need immediate assistance from police, fire or ambulance agencies.”
If you have concerns about public health violations, E-Comm says residents should contact your local by-law office or police non-emergency line.
It also said for non-medical information about COVID-19, call 1-888-COVID-19 or go online to bccdc.ca.
E-Comm, which provides dispatch services for more than 70 police agencies and fire departments across B.C., says it handled more than 1.7 million 911 calls so far in 2020.
For more about E-Comm, including information about non-emergency calls, click here.
Comments