A rotten box of avocados or because "McDonald's wouldn't open their doors" are some of the reasons you shouldn't be calling 911, according to E-Comm.
The organization released its top 10 list today, Dec. 30, of situations that did not warrant a call to the emergency line this past year.
E-Comm says it takes roughly two million 911 calls a year and are reminding the public that unnecessary calls can mean a life-threatening emergency goes unanswered.
9-1-What... ?!
— E-Comm 9-1-1 (@EComm911_info) December 30, 2024
Today, we’re sharing our annual list of the top 10 most unusual calls we've received in 2024 to help raise awareness about keeping 9-1-1 lines clear for real emergencies.
Discover our top 5 calls below & see the full list here: https://t.co/iXMDyRGI4c pic.twitter.com/2TqKZdmh66
“We understand that some of these situations might feel urgent to the individual in the moment, but 911 is not the appropriate number to call if your power goes out or you require tech support,” a news release stated.
"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 911 is time we could be getting help to someone in a life-threatening emergency.”
The top 10 list for 2024 included:
- Their neighbour was wearing too much cologne
- The dry cleaners stained their shirt
- McDonald’s wouldn’t open their doors
- They wanted directions to a 24/7 Shoppers Drug Mart
- Complaining the power was out
- Requesting technical support
- The box of 38 avocados they purchased were rotten
- They left their phone in an Uber
- Requesting help removing a wasp nest
- There was a domesticated-looking bunny in the park
“Most people do use 911 responsibly, and we absolutely want the public to call for help when they need it in an emergency,” the release added.
“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.”
