Finding the right location in an emergency is crucial but not always easy, particularly when there are no street signs or recognizable landmarks for a caller to provide. What3words can help pinpoint a person’s exact location, saving precious time when working to locate a 911 caller in distress. What3words will help our dispatchers and first responders respond to incidents more effectively and reduce response times.
How it works:
What3words has divided the world into 3m squares and given each square unique three word identifiers. These words allow the callers to share and save precise locations on their phones which will assist 911 dispatchers and emergency services in locating the callers if their location is unknown.
If a caller already has the what3words app installed on their phone, they simply open the app and GPS will pinpoint their location even if they have no data or wifi access —just be sure the phone’s location services are turned on. If a caller does not have the app installed on their mobile device, dispatchers can text a link ca.findme.w3w.co to help determine the location via browser. Just please be aware this is not quite as accurate as the app, so CPS highly encourages everyone to download the what3words app to their phones in case of future emergencies.
Once the caller opens the app or link, it will then quickly pinpoint their location and provide the three word identifiers on screen. These words are what a caller will need to provide to the dispatcher so an exact location can be given to first responders. Be sure to say these word identifiers accurately as one or two letters can make all the difference between a room within the Cobourg Police Service building (interrupts.presenters.unwind); Concord, Virginia (interrupt.presenters.unwind); and Trøndelag, Norway (interrupt.presenter.unwind). Those three words are what could save your life.
The United Kingdom and Australia have already been using what3words for years, and other countries have begun using the app as well. Various municipalities across Canada have also partnered with what3words, including Peterborough. Their emergency services used this technology to successfully find two hikers who were lost in the Trent Lakes area on April 2, 2021. Using what3words, Fire Services dispatchers were able to pinpoint their location and direct help to them quickly.
It is not just emergency services that have begun using the what3words app. Individuals are downloading it to help navigate the world more easily and to meet friends in places without addresses such as parks, beaches or at crowded festivals. What3words addresses are being used by running clubs, hikers, sailors, and also by hotels to guide guests to their entrance without complicated written directions. Not to mention, this app can even be used to remember your parking spot or a place you would like to return to in the future.