Emergency line listed as city hall contact
Kirsten Murphy
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Mar 07/01) - People inquiring about city taxes and snow removal are finding themselves talking to emergency dispatchers.
It's all due to incorrect listings in two new phone directories, that have listed the Yellowknife Fire Department and Medical Emergency phone number where city hall's number should be. The mixup has resulted in 10-12 calls a day coming in to emergency dispatchers since Feb. 26.
NorthwesTel blamed the problem on the printing company.
"We provided the correct number. BelActive Media in Ontario, who publishes the phone books, made the error," said Doug Portz, NorthwesTel's marketing and communications manager.
He suggested people refer to the book's blue pages where the correct City of Yellowknife number appears.
NorthwesTel has placed one notice in Yellowknifer apologizing for the error and planned to run several more if the fire department continues receiving calls for the City, Portz said.
The B.C.-based publishers of Canada's Arctic phone directory could not be reached for comment.
People's lives are not in danger, said deputy fire chief Mike Lowing.
"Will it interrupt emergency service dispatching? No, but it certainly doesn't make life any easier," he said.
