Calgary’s 911 emergency call centre officers are answering more calls for emergency services with more complex issues.
Last year, more than one million emergency and non-emergency calls were answered by the call centre.
“One of the biggest challenges is the size of the city; it’s continuing to grow at a very rapid rate,” said Dan Heyde, Calgary 911 deputy chief of operations. “So for us, it’s difficult to maintain that level of growth — we need to pre-plan for it, hire appropriately and staff appropriately.
“That’s a complexity that challenges us from time to time.”
In 2025, the number of calls increased by four per cent, as Calgary 911 supported more than 18,000 community peace officer events.
On top of that, some 2,000 calls for matters like mental health, addictions, shelter, child care and family support were redirected to 211 for services and crisis supports.
“We are the first of the first responders; we take our work very seriously,” said Nicole Ehman, Calgary 911 emergency communications officer.
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“It is often the worst, most stressful day of someone’s life when they call us and it is vitally important that they know and trust that there is someone here that is going to get them the most appropriate help.”
As multiculturalism and diversity in the city grows, the volume of calls requiring language services has also increased. These calls can take three times longer to process.
Evan Birch worked at a 911 call centre for seven years. The graphic nature of some cases took a toll, he says, leading Evan to struggle with his mental health.
“Having come from STARS Air Ambulance prior to that — working in the dispatch centre — it was hard hearing all the things you have to hear on a daily basis and understand that those people are calling you on potentially their worst day,” Evan says.
Now a run coach, Evan strives to help people through his new line of work. His advice for those considering entering the first responder work force is to prioritize their mental health.
“Self-care is the most important thing,” Evan says. “Find a psychologist and get a therapeutic relationship going before you even enter the job. I think that’s probably the most important thing you could do for yourself.”
Calgary 911 says mental health supports and clinicians are available for all emergency communication officers, adding that emergency services learned a lot about supports needed for staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We pay a lot more attention to mental health, we pay a lot more attention to breaks, we try to provide a more welcoming, supportive environment here,” Heyde said.
While staffing may be key to managing the rising volume of calls, the centre reassures that when you call, they’ll be there — no matter how busy they are.
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