An earthquake off the coast of B.C. earlier this week is being used as a reminder not to call 911.
E-Comm, B.C.'s largest emergency communications centre, said the line should only be used for clear life-and-death emergencies.
Instead, the centre said in a tweet posted after Thursday's quake, the public should monitor sources like the EmergencyInfoBC Twitter account for details.
That account posts about natural disasters including earthquakes, as well as evacuation alerts, avalanche risks and other matters of public safety.
Other resources include Earthquakes Canada and PreparedBC.
Or, as E-Comm put simply, "Search 'earthquake near me' in Google."
"9-1-1 is for police, fire or medical emergencies when immediate action is required: someone's health, safety or property is in jeopardy or a crime is in progress," a graphic posted by E-Comm says.
"Please help keep 9-1-1 lines clear for true emergencies."
Examples outlined by officials of what constitutes an emergency include a gas leak, downed power lines or a serious injury.
Calls that should not be made to 911 include: "Was that an earthquake?" "What should I do after an earthquake?" and "Where can I go to get info?"
Late last year, E-Comm released its annual list of worst 911 calls. Topics ranged from restaurant complaints to asking which way the clocks move during daylight time.
