Messy roommates, children using chalk: 911 call-taker in B.C. releases latest list of nonsense calls

The agency that handles most emergency calls in British Columbia has announced 2022 was its busiest year, but along with managing life-saving communications, E-Comm says it is still receiving an unacceptable number of senseless calls.

E-Comm, which handles all but a fraction of B.C.'s 911 call volume, has released a list of top 10 frivolous complaints it said came in last year.

The list ranges from children drawing with chalk in a playground to a messy roommate, broken windshield wiper, cellphone stuck in a bench and, No. 1 on the list, a malfunctioning nozzle at a gas station.

Call-takers said callers often admit they aren't reporting an emergency but confess they don't know who else can help, so E-Comm has posted a comprehensive list of alternative resources on its website at nonemergency.ca.

The agency said in a statement that general queries may not seem serious, but because each one ties up a call taker and could put public safety at risk, callers are urged to check the nonemergency list if they are uncertain before dialing 911.

E-Comm said it answered just over 2.1 million 911 calls last year, a 1.8 per cent increase from 2021.

The full list of top 10 nuisance calls for 2022 is below:

1. The nozzle wasn't working at the gas station.
2. Caller had a flat tire.
3. People were playing basketball on a public court at night time.
4. Someone wasn't picking up after their dog.
5. Someone was using the caller's garbage bin.
6. Complaining about children drawing with chalk at a playground.
7. Caller's phone was stuck in a bench.
8. Looking for an update on a nationwide telco outage.
9. Someone cut in line at the car wash.
10. Someone called 911 because they had a broken windshield wiper.