Technology has made calling 911 easier than ever for both non-emergencies and real emergencies alike.

Nuisance calls not only happens in Winnipeg – it’s something dispatchers outside the city also encounter on a daily basis.

If there's anyone who knows, it's Donna Brown.

The 911 dispatcher has spent nearly three decades answering emergency calls, but she said nearly half of the calls she gets aren't for real emergencies.

Brown got started answering emergency calls for the Brandon Police Service.

20 years ago, dispatchers in Brandon became responsible for taking all 911 calls in Manitoba outside Winnipeg – serving a population of about 470,000 people.

"Your worst moment, we're here,” said Brown. “We want to send you the help you need, whether it be police, fire, or ambulance."

Each day, around 500 calls come into the provincial 911 communications centre. Most are for true emergencies, but around 40 per cent are nuisance calls.

READ MORE: 911 nuisance calls disrupt Winnipeg dispatchers

In nearly three decades on the job, Brown has heard it all.

"‘I lost my cellphone, somebody stole my bike yesterday,’” said Brown, recounting a few of the numerous nuisance calls she’s received. “One Saturday morning, I can remember a lady calling me to find out what time the liquor store opened."

It's no laughing matter.

Dispatchers have to treat every call as if it's an emergency until they determine it's not.

When every second is crucial, emergency communications director Ross Robinson said these calls can take up a lot of valuable time.

"If two calls collide at the same time and that nuisance one is ahead, there's a time delay of several seconds or longer to ascertain what's going on,” said Robinson. “It has to be dealt with. If we don't have another dispatcher, it's waiting in the cue to be responded to, so it could take a while."

Brown's eligible to retire, but decided to keep working despite what can be a highly stressful job, one which she said could become even more complicated for dispatchers as technology evolves.

So-called next-generation 911 could eventually mean anyone can use a cellphone to text 9-1-1 for help. Right now, that service is only available in Manitoba to people living with a hearing or speech impairment.

"You can pick up so much from a caller listening to their voice, listening to what's going on in the background,” said Brown. “People can hide so much from a text."

“It will definitely make our job a lot more difficult.”

The CRTC is also reviewing whether people should be able to send photos or videos to dispatchers.

“It’s hard enough being on the other end of the phone,” said Brown. “I’m not sure I want to see every scene that people are calling in.”

When people do call 911 for the wrong reasons, Brown tries to educate them on only calling in an emergency situation but of course that can take time and isn't always possible if there are other calls waiting in the cue.