911 calls soar amid B.C. heat wave
The province’s 911 service saw a massive increase in year-over-year 911 calls this past weekend, highlighting the impact weather can have on emergency services.
As with other first responders, E-Comm 911 had anticipated a busy weekend with warm weather in the forecast, and had scheduled more staff to keep up with the expected demand.
“We did see a 61 per cent increase in 911 call volumes compared to the weekend similar in May of last year,” said communications manager, Kaila Butler. “It was a busy weekend across the board.”
Last year, B.C. had an unusually cool and wet May, so the call volumes were lower, likely due to fewer people doing yard work, getting injured in recreational activities, or grappling with record-setting heat.
Butler says they have dedicated workforce analysts crunching the numbers and weighing weather conditions, special events, and other factors that could impact demand on the 911 dispatch centre which re-routes calls to police agencies, fire departments, and BC Emergency Health Services; another section of E-Comm handles dispatch for the VPD.
While BC EHS did not have exact statistics on overall call volume, they observed a massive jump in calls for heat-related illness. In the first two weeks of May, they’ve had 54 calls, 38 of them this past weekend. Last year, they had only 10 for the entire month.
“A big, change from last year, certainly, from last May to this May,” said paramedic information officer, Brian Twaites, noting they didn’t have a big spike in calls.
He also says their staffing levels and response plan went smoothly and they did not have to call in extra paramedics and dispatchers given the stable demand. Heat-related calls accounted for about 2 per cent of all calls for ambulance, according to BCEHS.
Despite an expectation that more people would be hospitalized with the sudden change in weather and many people at heightened health risk, Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health told CTV News their hospital admissions remained consistent with the same weekend last year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
Pedestrian, baby injured after stroller struck and dragged by vehicle in Squamish, B.C.
Police say a baby and a pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a vehicle struck a baby stroller and dragged it for two blocks before stopping in Squamish, B.C.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
RCMP uncovers alleged plot by 2 Montreal men to illegally sell drones, equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
BREAKING Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko won't play in Game 2
The Vancouver Canucks will be without all-star goalie Thatcher Demko when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.