Here’s something that might surprise you: approximately half of all 9-1-1 calls across Ontario aren’t actually emergencies. Yeah, you read that right—50% of those urgent-sounding calls flooding emergency lines are for situations that, while potentially stressful, don’t require immediate life-saving intervention.

The City of London recently highlighted this eye-opening statistic, pointing out how these non-emergency calls are creating a domino effect that could seriously impact response times for people facing genuine life-threatening situations. Every time someone dials 9-1-1 for a non-emergency, it ties up resources that could be racing to help someone whose life literally hangs in the balance.

Think about it this way: while operators are fielding calls about noise complaints, minor fender-benders, or questions that could wait until morning, somewhere else in the city, someone might be having a heart attack or trapped in a burning building. It’s like having all the checkout lanes at the grocery store clogged with people buying lottery tickets while others wait with melting ice cream.

London’s emergency services don’t take a coffee break—they’re operating around the clock, 24/7, ready to spring into action when seconds can mean the difference between life and death. But here’s the thing: they need our help to stay available for those real emergencies that pop up at 3 AM on a Tuesday or during Sunday dinner.

The London Police Service has been actively promoting their non-emergency line at 519-661-5670, encouraging residents to save this number and use it for situations that don’t require immediate emergency response. They’ve been pushing the hashtag #KnowTheOtherNumber as part of a broader awareness campaign to keep 9-1-1 lines clear for genuine emergencies.

This isn’t just a London thing, either—it’s a province-wide issue that’s got emergency services across Ontario asking residents to think twice before dialing those three digits. The campaign When Every Second Counts is working to educate people about when to call 9-1-1 versus when to use alternative numbers.

So next time you’re wondering whether that sketchy noise outside warrants a 9-1-1 call, or if you need to report a minor traffic incident from this morning, remember that keeping those emergency lines clear could literally save someone’s life. Emergency dispatchers are trained professionals who can handle the most intense, high-pressure situations imaginable, but they can only work their magic if the system isn’t bogged down with calls that could wait until regular business hours.