Blog | 911 Emergency Dispatcher | 911 Emergency Dispatch

With flurries in the forecast for Metro Vancouver, our call takers and dispatchers are gearing up for an increase in demand for emergency services. To help keep 9-1-1 lines open for real emergencies, we encourage everyone to make use of the right resources when possible.

To keep you informed and help ensure emergency services are there for those who need them most, we’ve compiled answers to some common winter safety questions.

1. Who should I call for information regarding snow removal on my street?

If you have questions regarding snow removal, 9-1-1 is not the right place to call. For information on snow removal routes and requirements, contact your local city services.

2. What should I do if there’s a power outage in my area?

If you experience a power outage due to ice, snow, or wind, please don’t call 9-1-1 for information. Instead, contact BC Hydro at 1-800-224-9376 or visit their website at bchydro.com to check for real-time outage updates.

3. Where can I find road conditions during winter storms?

For up-to-date information on road closures and winter driving routes, visit drivebc.ca or call 5-1-1. It’s always best to check road conditions before heading out.

4. When do winter tire and chain regulations apply?

Winter tire and chain regulations are in effect from October 1 to April 30. If you’re planning on driving, make sure your vehicle is equipped with proper tires and chains to stay safe on icy roads. You can check the Ministry of Transportation’s website for more details.

5. Should I call 9-1-1 if I’m in a minor collision or fender bender?

No, if you’re involved in a minor collision with no injuries, there’s no need to call 9-1-1. Instead, report the incident directly to ICBC. In the Lower Mainland, you can reach them at 604-520-8222 or 1-800-910-4222 toll-free. You can also report your claim online.

6. What if I need a tow during the winter?

If you need your vehicle towed, 9-1-1 is not the service for that request. Instead, reach out to BCAA or a local tow company for assistance. They’ll be able to help you get your vehicle safely off the road.

7. How can I stay safe when driving in winter conditions?

Winter driving can be dangerous due to snow and ice. Here are a few tips to stay safe:

• Reduce your speed to give yourself more time to react on slippery roads
• Maintain a safe distance from other vehicles and pedestrians to avoid accidents
• Ensure your vehicle is ready for winter conditions, including proper tires, windshield wipers, and antifreeze levels

8. What should I include in my winter emergency kit?

It’s always a good idea to be prepared for the unexpected. Keep an emergency kit in your vehicle with items like:

• Flashlights, blankets, and warm clothing
• Non-perishable snacks and water
• A first-aid kit
• Sand, salt, or kitty litter to improve traction if you get stuck

9. When should I call 9-1-1?

9-1-1 should only be used for true emergencies. If you need immediate assistance from police, fire, or medical services, don’t hesitate to call. Whether it’s winter or summer, our team is available 24/7 to ensure that you get the help you need in an emergency.

Winter weather can present many challenges, but by being prepared and informed, you can help keep yourself and others safe. And remember, always reserve 9-1-1 for emergencies—our team is ready to assist you no matter the weather.

Stay safe, stay warm, and enjoy the winter season!

E-Comm releases annual top ten reasons NOT to call 9-1-1

Whether you’re looking for a 24/7 pharmacy, dissatisfied with your dry cleaning or offended by your neighbour’s cologne – general questions, consumer complaints and lifestyle grievances do not belong on 9-1-1.

E-Comm, which handles approximately two million 9-1-1 calls per year, has released its annual list of top ten unusual calls that were received by emergency police call takers at E-Comm in 2024, in order to raise awareness of the importance of keeping 9-1-1 lines for emergencies only.

“We understand that some of these situations might feel urgent to the individual in the moment, but 9-1-1 is not the appropriate number to call if your power goes out or you require tech support,” says E-Comm Police Call Taker Laura. “We must treat every call as an emergency until we know otherwise and each second we spend responding to a call that does not belong on 9-1-1 is time we could be getting help to someone in a life-threating emergency.”

Top 10 List of Calls that did NOT belong on 9-1-1 in 2024

1. Their neighbour was wearing too much cologne
2. The dry cleaners stained their shirt
3. McDonald’s wouldn’t open their doors
4. They wanted directions to a 24/7 Shoppers Drug Mart
5. Complaining the power was out
6. Requesting technical support
7. The box of 38 avocados they purchased were rotten
8. They left their phone in an Uber
9. Requesting help removing a wasp nest
10. There was a domesticated-looking bunny in the park

E-Comm is asking everyone to do their part by helping keep 9-1-1 lines free for in-progress crimes or emergencies that require immediate help from police, fire or ambulance only.

“Most people do use 9-1-1 responsibly, and we absolutely want the public to call for help when they need it in an emergency,” says Police Call Taker Kuzivakwashe. “By directing your non-urgent calls to the appropriate resources such as your local police non-emergency line, you are helping to ensure our call takers are available for real emergency situations.”

Tips on proper use of 9-1-1

9‑1‑1 is for police, fire or medical emergencies when immediate action is required: someone’s health, safety or property is in jeopardy or a crime is in progress.

• Know your location at all times
• Don’t program 9‑1‑1 into any phone
• If you call 9‑1‑1 accidentally, stay on the line and let us know
• Lock and store your cellphone carefully to prevent accidental 9-1-1 calls
• Do not text or tweet 9-1-1
• Call takers cannot transfer your non-emergency call from 9-1-1, nonemergency.ca for a list of alternate resources for reporting non-emergency matters

Interview Opportunity

E-Comm is hosting media availabilities at each of its communications centres.

• Monday, December 30, 9:00am—1:00pm, Lower Mainland Centre, 3301 East Pender Street, Vancouver
• Tuesday, December 31, 9:00am—1:00pm, South Island Centre, 4219 Commerce Circle, Victoria

Interviews will be available with police call takers who can speak to their experience and the importance of protecting B.C.’s critical emergency resources.

Interviews must be confirmed in advance at [email protected]

B-Roll, photos and call taker sound bites are available for download here. 

Media contact
Kelly Furey
Media Relations Specialist
604-215-6248
[email protected]

About E-Comm
E-Comm is the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in 25 regional districts in British Columbia and provides dispatch services for more than 70 police agencies and fire departments across the province. E‐Comm also owns and operates the largest multi‐jurisdictional, tri‐service, wide‐area radio network in the province used by police, fire and ambulance personnel throughout Metro Vancouver and parts of the Fraser Valley.

E-Comm Call Takers enjoy visits with HERO DAWG Skylar.

Of all the visitors to the E-Comm Operations floor in Vancouver, there are two in particular that always generate a big reaction.

“It brings the energy up just automatically,” said Police Call Taker Julia Andrews. “I think everyone loves to see them.”

The popular pair wander the aisles, taking time to greet 9-1-1 operators, emergency call takers, and dispatchers as they make their way around the room. On a recent visit, both wore matching blue bandanas emblazoned with their organization’s name: HERO DAWGS Pet Therapy Society.

“It’s just uplifting for sure,” remarked Police Call Taker Nathan Lal. “I think everybody immediately smiles knowing what’s coming.”

E-Comm staff have gotten to know two of the HERO DAWGS quite well; sweet-natured Golden Retriever Skylar and bubbly Bernese Mountain dog Brinkley have become regular visitors as one of several health and wellness initiatives for employees.  Faces visibly light up when the dogs appear, and chairs quickly swivel around so people can deliver pats, ear scratches and cuddles to the canine companions.

“It makes a large impact on our day,” said Non-Emergency Call Taker Jessica Sutherland. “They bring so much joy into the room.”

The pet therapy visits are offered to E-Comm employees through partnerships with HERO DAWGS in the Lower Mainland, and the Pacific Animal Therapy Society (PATS) on Vancouver Island. Physical and mental health support options are a priority for E-Comm, as call takers and dispatchers experience intense and challenging calls throughout their daily work while guiding the public and first responders in emergency situations.

HERO DAWGS Bernese Mountain dog Brinkley loves making the rounds on the Operations floor.

HERO DAWGS Founder and Executive Director Carey McBeth says the canine visits provide a “paws” from the pressure.

“Whoever’s not on a call, basically we ask them would you care for a visit from the dog,” said McBeth. “Just stroking a dog can lower your blood pressure, and increase those feel-good hormones and decrease the cortisol, so it doesn’t take a long period of time to make an impact.”

McBeth says HERO DAWGS specializes in supporting first responders and health care workers, particularly in critical care settings, and they feel “honoured and fortunate” to be working with E-Comm staff.

“I am a proud citizen of the Squamish Nation, and when I started HERO DAWGS I started with my dog and my family dogs and that’s something that’s very important to me,” McBeth said, and added she visits E-Comm with her father, an Indigenous elder. “We’re so proud of that and to be able to heal through the power of pets.”

At E-Comm’s Vancouver Island facility, volunteers with the Pacific Animal Therapy Society bring their four-legged friends to visit call takers during their busy workday.

PATS Board member and former Program Manager Marina Haden says along with E-Comm, their volunteers primarily visit hospitals, long-term care facilities, and post-secondary schools.

Dogs with the Pacific Animal Therapy Society (PATS) spend time with E-Comm staff on Vancouver Island.

“When we’re doing regular visits in a facility like we do with E-Comm, it becomes not just about people getting introduced to the dogs but people forming a community around the dogs,” Haden said. “When people can connect with the animals, that’s beautiful, and when people can connect with other people, that’s beautiful. It just becomes this moment in the day when people are connected to each other, and they have a moment of stress relief, and I think that can be really impactful.”

Police Dispatcher and Acting Supervisor Trevor Travis said the volunteer visits are eagerly anticipated by staff on the Island.

“Once in the building, a one-on-one with the dogs gives everyone an opportunity to ‘just be’ for a moment,” he said. “In a career ruled by emergency, a precious puppy kiss that stops time means everything.”

Haden said the connections being built with staff at E-Comm’s Island facility are evident, with the same PATS volunteers signing up for repeat visits.

“I’m really appreciative of E-Comm trusting us and welcoming us into your space and making our volunteers feel so welcome,” she said. “It’s a privilege on both sides of the equation.”

Both PATS and HERO DAWGS assess prospective volunteer animals to determine their comfort level in a variety of different environments. McBeth said HERO DAWGS is hoping to expand the support services it offers in the future, so more front-line and emergency workers can experience the same type of joy on display at E-Comm’s facilities when Skylar and Brinkley make their rounds.

“We need to take care of those who take care of us,” McBeth said.  “That’s what the HERO DAWGS are here for. Take care of our heroes.”

Learn more about the work of HERO DAWGS and PATS.

E-Comm welcomes today’s announcement from B.C.’s new Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Garry Begg regarding an independent review.

The work of our call-takers, dispatchers, technical and support staff is vital to public safety. They help people in the most challenging of situations, and support our emergency responders with compassion, professionalism and dedication.

E-Comm has long stated that changes are needed to ensure our governance, operations and financial model are sustainable and efficient. In particular, E-Comm supports the advocacy of the Union of BC Municipalities and our local government and first responder partners, who for several years have called for a greater provincial role in, and funding for, 9-1-1 and related emergency communication services in B.C. Currently B.C. is one of only two provinces in Canada that has no provincial legislation governing 9-1-1 services, and one of only three provinces that doesn’t provide dedicated operational funding for 9-1-1 services.

Recognizing this, E-Comm initiated and actively participated in two prior reviews, one in 2021 focused on service delivery and the second this year regarding governance. The first, conducted by PwC identified key issues like historic underfunding and understaffing of E-Comm that lead to the investment, supported by our Board, driving the current transformation plan.

As a result of this financial investment from our partners, transformation efforts have made a positive impact on our operations. In fact, we have experienced our best operational performance in years across all areas of the business: 9-1-1, police/fire emergency and non-emergency call-taking, and our consistently reliable wireless radio performance.

The second, the Deloitte governance review completed earlier this year, identified some key changes needed to our governance and financial models which we are in the process of implementing in collaboration with our shareholders.

Our mission is to deliver excellence in emergency communications, and any step to strengthen our ability to do so and ensure a sustainable and effective model is welcome. E-Comm looks forward to participating fully in the independent review. E-Comm’s regular operations and the service-improvement projects underway will continue during the review. British Columbians can continue to rely on our services during this period.

As British Columbians gear up for Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals, and a busy holiday shopping season ahead, E-Comm and our policing partners are reminding the public to remain vigilant for those attempting to prey on unsuspecting shoppers – whether at the mall, via phone call or online.

As part of an ongoing education campaign, the public is encouraged to learn about how to “Make the Right Call” – and utilize the proper resources to report scams and frauds through either the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre or their local non-emergency police number.

“Make the Right Call” to report scams & frauds

• To report a scam where money has been lost, call your local police non-emergency line or file a report online. Find your local number or online reporting tool at nonemergency.ca
• To report a scam where no money has been lost, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or visit antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/
• Any crime in progress or threat to your personal safety, such as an extortion attempt or theft, please call 9-1-1

“Ensuring less urgent crimes are properly reported through the correct channels means that our police partners have a more accurate picture of crime trends and new scams that emerge,” explains Kelly Furey, Communications Specialist with E-Comm 9-1-1. “By making the right call to non-emergency or the Anti-Fraud Centre, you are helping to keep 9-1-1 for its intended use – as the lifeline for those who need immediate, emergency help from first responders.”

Reporting crime matters

Reporting all crimes, including scams and fraud, is important and makes communities safer by helping to identify trends and inform proactive police resources and patrols.

As part of the “Make the Right Call” campaign, E-Comm is emphasizing the importance of using your local 10-digit non-emergency police number unique to your community to report crimes with a time delay, or situations that don’t require immediate help.

Key improvements to non-emergency call-taking services for E-Comm’s Lower Mainland police agency partners mean the public can report less urgent crimes such as frauds faster, with the addition of a dedicated non-emergency team and technology enhancements that give callers estimated wait times, call-back options and SMS texting of their police file number. Curious about the best time to call? It’s during the hours of 7 am to 9 pm, when our dedicated non-emergency team are on shift.

With these enhancements, the average call answer time has decreased to less than 2 minutes on average (year to date 2024) compared to over 4 minutes the previous year, for those Lower Mainland police agencies that use E-Comm to answer non-emergency calls on their behalf. This means more callers can get through to report their non-urgent crime in a timely way. These improvements are part of a multi-year Transformation Plan to modernize E-Comm’s service delivery.

Learn more about non-emergency services and how to “Make the Right Call” for fraud, scams and all other crimes that don’t require immediate help at nonemergency.ca.

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About E-Comm

E-Comm is the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in 25 regional districts in British Columbia and provides dispatch services for more than 70 police agencies and fire departments across the province. E‐Comm also owns and operates the largest multi‐jurisdictional, tri‐service, wide‐area radio network in the province used by police, fire and ambulance personnel throughout Metro Vancouver and parts of the Fraser Valley.

Media contact
E-Comm
604-215-6248
[email protected]