New campaign urges people to only call 911 when they really need to
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Officials with the city and Toronto Police are calling on members of the public to dial the right number when in need of help.
The campaign, launched Monday, is designed to ease demand on Toronto’s 911 emergency dispatch efforts.
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“Building public awareness on when to call 911 versus other services is critical, especially when 911 calls increased by nearly 3,000 last month compared to the monthly average – from more than 100,000 to more than 103,000,” the city said in a statement.
“Informing Toronto residents and visitors on how they can make the right call to get the right help strengthens 911 operations by ensuring calls to 911 are for emergency situations and those in need are responded to as soon as possible.”
The city and police say 911 should only be used for police, fire or medical emergencies when immediate action is required.
People can call 311 for easy access to non-emergency city services. A call to 211 provides referrals to community and social services, including Toronto’s new city-wide Toronto Community Crisis Service.
The Toronto Police non-emergency line at 416-808-2222.
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