The County of Hastings has joined the first-ever provincewide campaign to tackle 9-1-1 misuse, an issue that continues to strain emergency services. The Emergency Services Steering Committee (ESSC) has launched the "When Every Second Counts" campaign aimed at reducing non-emergency 9-1-1 calls and educating the public on proper use of 9-1-1.
“9-1-1 is for life-threatening, in progress crimes or urgent emergencies only. Unfortunately, we continue to receive 9-1-1 calls for non-emergency situations such as lost or stolen items not in progress, noise complaints, accidental pocket dials or abandoned calls. These calls take valuable time away from real emergencies where every second counts,” said Colette Tanner, 9-1-1 Coordinator.
It’s critical to keep 9-1-1 lines open for those truly in need. If you call 9-1-1 by mistake
• DO CALL BACK 9-1-1 if you realize you have dialed by mistake, and disconnected, particularly from a mobile device. Letting an 9-1-1 professional know there is no emergency will save precious time from attending to other real emergencies.
• DO NOT HANG UP the phone. Public safety policy dictates the 9-1-1 call taker call back to confirm there is no emergency, leave a message or send a unit depending on the circumstances. This wastes valuable time for all emergency resources. Just tell the 9-1-1 professional you called by accident and/or there is no emergency.
Across Ontario, police services report that nearly half of all 9-1-1 calls are for non-emergencies, including accidental dials, hang-ups, and frivolous inquiries.
Accidental calls to 9-1-1 have increased significantly, particularly following technological upgrades that enabled the Emergency SOS feature on Apple and Android devices. This feature allows users to dial 9-1-1 by rapidly pressing the side buttons, making it easier to place emergency calls unintentionally. Additionally, some smartphones can dial 9-1-1 even in airplane mode, and devices without an active subscription or those roaming can still make emergency calls. Children playing with phones-especially older devices repurposed as toys also contribute to the volume of unintentional calls as any device with battery power can connect to 9-1-1.
Accidental dialing has increased for residents calling overseas. To dial an international number, you usually need to dial 9, followed by 011 (the country code for international calls) and then the area code and phone number. If you accidently omit the “0” and dial 9-1-1 directly, you’ll be calling emergency services.
“The County of Hastings is committed to ensuring our residents have access to the right information and resources,” said Warden Bob Mullin. “By participating in this campaign, we are helping provide education on when to call 9-1-1 and when to use non-emergency numbers, so that emergency services remain available for those who truly need them.”
As part of the "When Every Second Counts" campaign, residents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with alternative non-emergency numbers for the Hastings Quinte area;
Belleville Police Service 613-966-0882 TTY 613-966-3788
CFB Trenton MP 613-392-2811 x7153
OPP 1-888-310-1122 TTY 1-888-310-1133
Bancroft Fire 613-332-2442
Belleville Fire 613-962-2010
Carlow/Mayo Area 613-332-1760
CFB Trenton Fire 613-392-2811 x 3511
Centre Hastings Fire 613-473-4030
Deseronto Fire 613-396-2440
Faraday Fire 613-332-3638
Hastings Highlands Fire 613-338-2811
Limerick Fire 613-332-8898
Madoc Township Fire 613-473-2677
Marmora & Lake Fire 613-472-2748
Mohawk Fire 613-968-7985
Quinte West Fire 613-392-6557
Stirling-Rawdon Fire 613-395-0214
Tudor & Cashel Area 613-474-2583
Tweed Fire 613-478-2535
Tyendinaga Fire 613-396-1660
Wollaston Fire 613-337-5731
For more information about the campaign and resources on proper emergency call usage call Colette Tanner 911 Coordinator 613-966-6712 x4004 or visit www.wheneverysecondcounts.ca.
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For more information contact:
Colette Tanner
9-1-1 Coordinator, Hastings County
(613) 966-6712 ext. 4004
tannerc@hastingscounty.com
