The summer is a good time to talk to children about the correct use of 9-1-1 and to remind them that 9-1-1 is not a toy. Here are some tips:
- Always keep cordless phones fully charged and in the same place in the home
- Keep your address information near the phone and show your children and caregivers where it is
- Never give old cellphones to children to use as toys—many de-commissioned phones can still dial 9-1-1
We have a range of education materials for kids. Visit our 9-1-1 education page for more information.
Heat-related emergencies happen when the body becomes dehydrated.
Anyone who stays in the summer heat and sun for too long may be affected by heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
According to the Canadian Red Cross, here are the signs and symptoms that can lead to heat-related emergencies:
- Cramps or muscle tightening, usually in the legs and abdomen, but they can be in other parts of the body
- Headache
- Nausea
- Dizziness, weakness, and feeling faint
- Skin that is redder or paler than usual, or moist skin
- Rapid shallow breathing
- Irritable, bizarre, or aggressive behaviour
If someone has been in the heat for too long and is suffering from the above signs and symptoms, move the person to a cooler location, give them cool water in sips and call 9-1-1 for help.
From January to June 2018, we’ve answered 753,845 9-1-1 calls in B.C.
- 98% of these calls were answered in 5 seconds or less
- 70% of the calls came from cell phones and 30% from landlines
- 66.4% of the calls received were for police, 5.2% for fire and 28.4% for ambulance
Our service level target is to answer 95 per cent of 9-1-1 calls in five seconds or less. The total number of 9-1-1 calls are for 26 regional districts and communities spanning from Vancouver Island to Alberta and from the U.S. borders to north of Prince George.
E-Comm is responsible for 92 per cent of the province’s 9-1-1 call volume with approximately 1.45 million 9-1-1 calls in 2017. Find out more about our 9-1-1 call statistics.
We also received five Text with 9-1-1 (T9-1-1) calls in July, for a total of 19 calls so far in 2018. T9-1-1 is a specialized texting service available for people who are Deaf/Deaf-Blind, Hard-of Hearing or Speech Impaired (DHHSI) that allows registered users to communicate with 9-1-1 call-takers through text. Find out more about T9-1-1.
We’ve published the spring 2018 edition of our quarterly newsletter and E-Comm’s 2017 Annual Report. Check out our publications page.
In order to receive the emergency services you need, knowing your location is critical. In fact, it will be the first question police, fire or ambulance call takers will ask when you call 9-1-1.
Knowing your exact location is always important no matter which phone you use to call 9-1-1. But, if you are using a cellphone or internet phone, it’s paramount. In Canada, the only phones that provide exact address/location information to 9-1-1 centres are landlines (the wired phones found in homes and businesses). Cellphones provide only general location information and Internet phones provide no location information.
- Know your location at all times and communicate it when you are asked
- You should know what city you are in, building or home addresses, cross streets, and any other information that will help emergency personnel find you
- Learn your compass directions (north, south, east, west)
Important information from Search & Rescue: Never wait to call 9-1-1 if you are lost outdoors. Even though you may not feel an urgent threat to your health or safety, it is best to make the call immediately rather than trying to find your way back. Once you’ve made this call, follow the instructions of the 9-1-1 call taker and/or search and rescue official. This may include being instructed to conserve your cellphone’s battery power by not making any other calls and establishing set times for further communication with emergency responders.
