Do you know when to call 911 and when not to?

911 call centre file image.

Do you know when you should call 911 for help and when you shouldn’t? A province-wide campaign, called ‘When Every Second Counts,’ aims to educate the public about when to use the emergency service amid overwhelming misuse.

In Owen Sound, dispatchers received roughly 68,000 911 calls in 2024, which is an average of 184 calls per day in a city with a population of around 21,600. Of those 911 calls, officials say about 6,000 were unanswerable.

Owen Sound Police Service Chief Craig Ambrose explained that every non-emergency call to 911 ties up resources that could be helping someone in a life-threatening situation.

“Every second is critical in an emergency,”said Ambrose. “Misusing 911 can delay response times. By joining this campaign, we aim to inform our community about the proper use of emergency services to ensure help is available when it truly matters.”

Across the province, officials report nearly half of all 911 calls are for non-emergencies.

911 calls should be limited to situations that require immediate assistance from police, fire or paramedic services, including medical emergencies, fires, crimes in progress, and serious vehicle collisions.

In comparison, non-emergency situations include minor traffic collisions where there are no injuries, noise complaints, bylaw violations, non-emergent medical concerns, and general police inquiries.

"If you accidentally dial 911, do not hang up," the police service added. “Stay on the line and inform the operator that the call was unintentional. Hanging up can prompt emergency responders to dispatch services to your location to ensure safety.”

Non-emergent calls for police can be made by contacting 519-376-1234.