Find and communicate precise locations to respond to emergencies faster with our free tools.
Save lives with what3words
What is what3words?
Benefits
Locate incidents faster
When callers struggle to describe their location, what3words helps them say exactly where they are, saving precious time.
They can find their what3words address on the free app or through a FindMe link in an SMS sent by the operator.
Coordinate locations accurately
what3words addresses can be shared easily over text, radio or digitally. This minimises the room for error when incident locations are passed between teams on the ground and different agencies.
Responders can then use the what3words app on their mobile devices to find the exact location.
Simple integration
what3words can be built directly into CAD software, navigation tools and GIS systems, allowing teams to search for and input what3words addresses directly into existing systems.
How it works
Report
A caller or emergency colleague reports the what3words location for an incident.
Share
The recipient enters it into what3words’ online map, app or directly into the CAD software.
Navigate
The responding team navigates to that exact location using the app.
Testimonials
‘For pre-planned operations, building in what3words can be really helpful, particularly if the operation is in open country – like the policing response to festivals or major events.’
- Supt. James Sutherland, Cambridgeshire Police
‘We used what3words to locate someone who wasn’t in our map coverage area. We were able to locate them and notify the correct jurisdiction. I foresee this app being a great asset for stranded boaters on the Missouri River.’
- Sheriff Rady Thaler, Charles-Mix Couty, South Dakota
‘A serious injury road traffic collision had taken place. what3words was used by the control room to identify where the accident had taken place. As a result, the first aid saved their life'
- Supt. Nick Lyall, Bedfordshire Police
‘We used the technology to locate a patient who had fallen on a walking track in Alice Springs – we were able to dispatch a paramedic via helicopter quickly and easily. It’s a valuable and simple tool to use for emergency services, particularly in rural or remote areas’.
- Craig Garraway, St John NT’s Emergency Communication Center Manager
‘A family was out hiking and became lost. The dispatcher sent the ‘FindMe’ link and guided the firefighters and police to them. The accurate location from what3words helped save time, resources, and got the family back to the car quickly’
- Tania Odenbach, Communications Director, Summit County Sherrif’s Office, Utah
‘Callers often can’t tell us exactly where they are on motorways or in larger buildings like the university. In these instances, we have to go look for them, which is very time-consuming. With what3words, the caller’s location is immediately clear to us.’
- Peter Palsbröker, Head of the Bielefeld Fire Brigade Control Center
‘When lost hikers were unable to describe their location on a 911 call, the call handler sent them an SMS link so they could discover their what3words address. It was then passed to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who quickly came to their rescue.’
- Robert Stewart, VP, Executive Committee at APCO and Director of Emergency Communications at the City of Brandon
‘We’re proud to be the first policing agency in Canada to use what3words. Last year, one of our Emergency Response Communicators used the app, along with our in-house mapping tech, to pinpoint the exact location of lost hikers. Used with our existing technology, it has proven to be a useful tool.’
- Dawn Clancey, Manager of Integrated Emergency Services, Halifax Regional Police
‘what3words helps crews accurately locate access points and other key areas in the new field hospitals and medical facilities. This ensures that patients are moved to the appropriate point of care as promptly as possible with minimal disruption, limiting crew exposure time and reducing risk.’
- Jason Fenard, Locality Manager for the Welsh Ambulance Service’s Hazardous Area Response Team and Specialist Operations, Wales
