Amidst the flurry of serious incidents, it appears some Saskatchewan residents mistook 911 for a hotline to address life's less perilous predicaments last year.

The Saskatchewan RCMP's Divisional Operational Communications Centre (DOCC) handled an astounding 352,663 calls for service in 2023, ranging from 911 mis-dials to serious incidents concerning public safety.

Despite the significant workload, the centre experienced a noteworthy trend of non-emergency calls, prompting officials to highlight the importance of proper use of 911.

The DOCC compiled a list of the "Top 10 Calls That Missed the Mark" in 2023, showcasing the unusual and entertaining requests received throughout the year:

10. Rocky’s in the house - An individual called 911 to complain that their friend hit them in the face during their boxing match.
 

9. Bug alert - 911 dispatchers received a call from a person saying that wasps were getting into their house and they wanted an officer to help them remove them.
 

8. What-a-mess - A frustrated parent called 911 complaining that their child wouldn’t clean their room.
 

7. Beep, beep - A caller advised that their smoke detector’s battery was low and requested an RCMP officer pick some up for them.
 

6. Sunshine - An individual called 911 asking if they could park their car on the opposite side of the street to avoid the sun hitting their leather interior. 
 

5. We’re in this toget-hair - An individual called 911 asking for a hair salon’s phone number so the caller could book a haircut.
 

4. Hangry - A caller advised that their bag of chips got stuck in the vending machine and they were hoping an officer would come and help and get the chips unstuck.
 

3. Buzz off - A concerned individual called 911 to advise that their campsite was being invaded by bugs and that they had no bug spray.
 

2. Grass is always greener - A frustrated individual called to complain that their grass wasn’t cut properly by the person they’d hired.
 

1. Order up - An individual called to complain that the smell of the deep-fried rink food was too strong.

Lee Rosin, Recruiter for the Saskatchewan RCMP Operational Communications Centre, emphasized the importance of reserving 911 for true emergencies.

In the release he stated, "As entertaining as some of these calls are, we want to remind everyone that 911 is for emergencies and emergencies only.

“When I’m answering calls that aren’t an emergency, it means I’m not available for someone else who really does need potentially life-saving help,” Rosin added.