911 wait times in B.C.: More dispatchers to be hired in coming weeks to address issues
More dispatchers will be hired to address the longer-than-usual wait times for those who need emergency aid in British Columbia.
B.C. Emergency Health Services told CTV News it's aware of the issues those who call 911 are facing as they wait to be connected to emergency medical call takers.
Some say they've been put on hold or had to wait for a longer period of time for their call to be answered. Others say they haven't been able to get through at all.
It's been on ongoing problem, with E-Comm, B.C.'s multi-municipality agency that connects 911 callers to the proper emergency service provider, warning as recently as Monday of high call volumes and increased wait times.
E-Comm explained previously that the waits are largely due to staffing shortages with BCEHS, and that when a caller can't get through or is put on hold when calling 911, it may be because an E-Comm dispatcher is waiting with a previous caller for a BCEHS counterpart to answer the phone.
BCEHS said Tuesday it's working with the province to hire and train more than 30 new staff members between now and December. A spokesperson said that's in addition to 25 jobs recently added at three dispatch centres.
"BCEHS has also increased clinical support in dispatch centres (using paramedic specialists, nurses and doctors) to help triage and manage calls and 24-7 manager support in dispatch to help with delays and escalation," the spokesperson said in an email.
In the meantime, callers are urged to ensure they're only dialing 911 for something truly considered an emergency and, in cases where their condition isn't urgent and it's safe to do so, find another way to get to a nearby hospital, so paramedics can respond to critical patients.
"If you receive a recorded message when trying to get through to the ambulance service, please stay on the line as that is the fastest way to get help," BCEHS said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Trump's lawyers grill ex-tabloid publisher as 1st week of hush money trial testimony nears a close
After prosecutors' lead witness painted a tawdry portrait of “catch-and-kill” tabloid schemes, defence lawyers in Donald Trump's criminal trial on Friday sought to dig into an account of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election.