‘Every second counts’: City of Brockville, Belleville police back campaign to reduce 9-1-1 misuse

The City of of Brockville and the Belleville Police Service have each joined a new province-wide campaign aimed at reducing misuse of the 9-1-1 emergency system.

Launched by the Emergency Services Steering Committee, the “When Every Second Counts” campaign is designed to educate the public about what qualifies as an emergency and how to avoid tying up critical resources with non-urgent calls.

“9-1-1 is for life-threatening or urgent emergencies, yet we continue to see calls made for reasons ranging from minor inconveniences to non-emergency situations that can be handled through other channels,” said Brockville Mayor Matt Wren in a media release. “Calls for lost items, noise complaints, or even pocket dials take time away from real emergencies.”

Last year, Brockville police received more than 4,000 calls to 9-1-1, according to the release from the City of Brockville. Approximately 75 per cent were considered non-reportable and not true emergencies. Many of these included accidental dials, hang-ups, or situations that should have been directed to other services.

The Belleville Police Service is also supporting the campaign, pointing to similar concerns in their community.

“Every second truly counts when someone is experiencing a crisis,” said Chief Murray Rodd in a separate media release. “Misusing 9-1-1 puts lives at risk. Our goal is to ensure that the public understands when to call 9-1-1 and when other services are more appropriate.”

Across Ontario, police services report that nearly half of all 9-1-1 calls are non-emergency in nature, with some stemming from confusion, others from misuse—including complaints about fast food orders or malfunctioning televisions.

“The vast majority of our community wants to do the right thing,” added Chief Rodd. “This campaign provides the tools and knowledge to help people make the right call – literally.”

Residents are encouraged to use 9-1-1 only when people or property are at immediate risk and to become familiar with non-emergency numbers for local police, fire, and medical services. Both Brockville and Belleville are highlighting these alternatives and directing residents to visit www.wheneverysecondcounts.ca for more information.

“The City of Brockville is committed to ensuring our residents have access to the right information and resources,” said Wren. “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.”