Some 911 callers in B.C. faced waits as long as 13 minutes on Thanksgiving weekend

Emergency operators are once again warning people calling 911 for help that they may be stuck on hold for an extended period of time because ofbacklogs at the B.C. Ambulance Service.

So far this long weekend,the longest someone has waited on hold before speaking to an E-Comm 911operator is almost 13 minutes.

The agency said theaverage wait time on Thanksgiving Sunday was 45 seconds, which is still much longer than usual.

"This is an extended wait time for us, and we do recognize, as well, that there were some callers who did have to wait quite a bit longer than that,"said E-Comm 911communications manager Kaila Butler.

"This is an incredibly serious issue. It's been incredibly difficult for the public," she said.

Along with transferring calls to ambulance dispatchers, E-Comm 911operators also transfer calls to fire and police dispatchers.

OnSunday, E-Comm 911's Twitter account warned of a second straight day of delays.

Butler said the problems originate "downstream" at the B.C.Emergency Health Service (BCEHS), which oversees ambulance operationsin the province.

When someone phones 911 needing an ambulance, the operatormust stay on the line with the calleruntil the call can be transferred toBCEHS, Butler said.

"This has been an increasing issue over the past couple of months. Unfortunately, at this point, it is becoming a very regular occurrence and we are trying to be as transparent as possible with the public," she said.

CBC has contactedBCEHS for comment.

According to Butler, extreme heat, COVID-19, wildfires and the opioid crisis have all contributed to increased demand for emergency services this year.

"We are dedicated and absolutely working with BCEHS's leadership team to resolve it ... And of course, at this point, the challenges themselves are coming directly from their end, and it is a solution that needs to come from the BCEHSteam."

Paramedics in B.C. have been speaking out about staffing shortages, burnout and a near total collapse of the ambulance system during the "heat dome"that caused record-breaking temperatures across the province at the end of June.

In July,Health Minister Adrian Dix said changes would be made to BCEHS, including addingmore paramedics, dispatchers and ambulances.

On recent weekends, BCEHS has been promising doublepay for staff willing to pick up overtime shifts that normally pay time and a half.

Butler stressespeople should stay on the line if their 911 call isn't answered immediately by an operator.

"Do not hang up the phone. You will get help faster by staying on the line with us," she said."We do strive to answer 95 per cent of911 calls in five seconds or less."

E-Comm 911 handles emergency calls in 25 regional districts in British Columbia.