December 30,2025
RED FM News Desk
B.C.’s 911 service operator has released its annual list of the top 10 unusual calls, reminding residents to reserve emergency lines for true emergencies.
“When a store refuses to return your air fryer, an airline fines your oversized carry-on, or your dishwasher breaks, 911 is not the number to call,” said E-Comm. The list highlights the importance of keeping the lines open for urgent assistance from police, fire, or ambulance. Call takers must treat every call as an emergency until they can confidently determine otherwise.
Some of the most misguided 911 calls on E-Comm’s list included:
Luggage exceeding carry-on limits
Walmart refusing to return an air fryer
Broken dishwashers
Someone parking at Starbucks but going into a grocery store
Non-electric car parked at an EV charging station
Complaints about traffic
Being locked out of an Airbnb
Leaving an iPad at the SkyTrain station
Needing help removing a hornet from an apartment
Dissatisfaction with a haircut
Communications Manager Carly Paice noted that most B.C. residents use 911 responsibly, and the service wants to encourage confidence when calling for real emergencies.
“No matter the time of day, our call takers are here to connect people with critical emergency resources when they need them most,” Paice said.
E-Comm provides guidance on its website for proper 911 use, such as calling for immediate threats to health or safety and staying on the line if you accidentally dial 911.
“Every second spent fielding questions about traffic, hornets, or bad haircuts is time that could be helping someone in a life-threatening emergency,” said call taker Bailey Mitchell.
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