Pandemic shifts subject, but non-emergency calls to 911 still a danger: dispatcher

The dispatcher that handles most of British Columbia's 911 calls says COVID-19 gave a different twist to some calls this year, but E-Comm's annual list of nuisance callers reveals little change elsewhere.

In an effort to remind the public that 911 should only be dialed in an emergency, E-Comm has released its list of the top-10 nuisance calls of 2020.

The dispatcher says inquiries such as the number-one-ranked complaint about missing food deliveries or the second-ranked call about a possible COVID-19 lockdown probably wouldn't have made previous nuisance lists.

Even the third-ranked question about the legality of trampolines during COVID-19 would have been inconceivable one year ago.

But E-Comm officials say those calls and others about a stuck banking card, smoking in restricted areas or inquiries about the time are all inappropriate because they don't involve immediate risk to life or property.

E-Comm dispatcher Megan McMath says general complaints to the emergency line that aren't police, fire or ambulance matters, divert critical resources from those in real emergencies.