As a police call-taker, Kuzivakwashe Mujakachi approaches every incoming call as an emergency 乌鸦传媒� because they usually are.
When someone calls about a neighbour乌鸦传媒檚 chicken, Mujakachi doesn乌鸦传媒檛 get frustrated, instead promptly seeing an opportunity to educate.
Mujakachi related the farm animal story as part of a larger educational campaign launched by E-Comm at the end of each year. The emergency call-taking agency releases its Top 10 unusual 911 calls of 2024.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e handled many a very unusual call. My personal one didn乌鸦传媒檛 make it to the list this year乌鸦传媒� I had somebody calling in because they were very upset about their neighbour乌鸦传媒檚 chicken. It was doing a little too much in the morning, it was a little too loud and so they were very frustrated, which I can understand early mornings are not fun, but it乌鸦传媒檚 definitely not something for the 911 line,乌鸦传媒� Mujakachi said.
The Top 10 did include complaints about a dry cleaner, McDonalds, rotten avocados and domesticated-looking bunnies in the park.
Another neighbour complaint stands out for Mujakachi 乌鸦传媒� someone calling about their neighbour wearing too much cologne.
乌鸦传媒淚 can understand it乌鸦传媒檚 overwhelming乌鸦传媒� but it乌鸦传媒檚 definitely not a call for the 911 emergency line,乌鸦传媒� she said. The line is to direct resources for life-and-death emergencies 乌鸦传媒� whether medical or criminal in nature 乌鸦传媒� and crimes in progress.
乌鸦传媒淓very single second counts,乌鸦传媒� Mujakachi noted, 乌鸦传媒淵ou hear people say 乌鸦传媒榯hey got there just in time乌鸦传媒�. So imagine if there was a 10-second delay, those little seconds really, really count and I see this every day that I work here.乌鸦传媒�
For many, someone calling the emergency line about a power outage or seeking directions to a 24/7 Shoppers Drug Mart (both on the Top 10 this year) might be a source of frustration or even anger over misuse of the service.
乌鸦传媒淚 think we all have a very good understanding that nobody wants to call 911乌鸦传媒� nobody乌鸦传媒檚 having a great day when they have to call 911 so we don乌鸦传媒檛 get frustrated. It doesn乌鸦传媒檛 occur to me to become angered by a caller,乌鸦传媒� Mujakachi said, seated in a corner cubicle at the Saanich emergency call centre.
The last day of 2024 starts quiet, with just murmurs coming from adjacent call-takers. It乌鸦传媒檚 frequently more noisy 乌鸦传媒� and likely to get busier as 2025 approaches. E-Comm handles about two million 911 calls per year over two sites, an average day for one call-taker can include 40 calls, some less necessary than others.
Four years in, it乌鸦传媒檚 a calling Mujakachi finds fulfills her purpose in life to be of 乌鸦传媒渟ervice before self乌鸦传媒�.
乌鸦传媒淲e are ready to help. I think our predisposition is just being ready to serve. Whether or not this person is maybe being abusive on the line or maybe calling me names on the line, I乌鸦传媒檓 still prepared to help.乌鸦传媒�
Tips for 911 use include knowing your location, not programming 911 into a phone, preventing accidental calls and staying on the line if you do call accidentally.
乌鸦传媒淚f you do call 911 and it is not an emergency, if it乌鸦传媒檚 a pocket dial or a mistake, stay on the line and let us know you are OK,乌鸦传媒� she said. That too can essentially become a nuisance call as the call-taker worries about the caller and their situation.
That said, Mujakachi emphasized that people shouldn乌鸦传媒檛 hesitate to call if they乌鸦传媒檙e unsure.
乌鸦传媒淥ne of the main things I will always vouch for is if you are unsure at all, please don乌鸦传媒檛 hesitate to use the 911 line. if you are unsure as to whether your emergency is a real emergency or not, we are trained to guide you correctly. So if you are not sure, I will be sure for you,乌鸦传媒� she said.
Advice to callers though: when the call-taker guides, go gracefully.
乌鸦传媒淚t can be a little challenging when somebody tries to argue their case to stay on the emergency line.乌鸦传媒�
Those looking to be prepared can visit nonemergency.ca to familiarize themselves with a list of alternate resources for reporting non-emergencies.
Top 10 list of 911 calls that shouldn't have been made in 2024
- Their neighbour was wearing too much cologne
- The dry cleaners stained their shirt
- McDonald乌鸦传媒檚 wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 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
