There are some things people should simply not have to be taught.
A long time ago, I was a technology manager for the Austin (TX) Police Department. We were implementing a new municipal area network and one of our top priorities (OK, probably our number one priority) was making sure our 9-1-1 system would reliably work with the new network.
Step 1 was getting to know the 9-11 operation, so my boss and I spent a couple of days in the emergency communications centre observing and learning.
It was an eye-opening experience.
"9-1-1, what is your emergency?"
"How do I get to Barton Creek Square Mall?"
Seriously?
A 9-11 operation is a pressure cooker and while a handful of accidental dials are inevitable, the number of these nuisance calls was astounding.
The big problem is the operators have to treat every call as an emergency until it can be determined for certain it is not. Seconds count in an emergency and any time spent on a non-emergency call can be life or death for somebody else.
In B.C., E-Comm 911 serves roughly 99 per cent of the province. It doesn't release statistics on what percentage of its call volume is non-emergency calls, but at the end of December, it released its Top 10 nuisance calls of 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 very diplomatic about gently reminding people that 9-1-1 is only for emergencies requiring immediate assistance from police, fire or paramedic services.
I wouldn't be nearly as diplomatic about it, so I will just leave it at that.
