19/05/2020

During Covid-19 lockdown in the Czech Republic, firefighters and ambulance teams remained full-time in their stations for safety purposes, unless an emergency arose. Over four weeks, the Czech Red Cross organised their meal deliveries, using what3words to carry out efficient and safe deliveries.

A team of 40 volunteers delivered meals to 50 stations each day. To help them find each station’s entrance easily, a Red Cross dispatch manager shared the what3words addresses. Volunteers used the free what3words app to navigate to the exact station entrance directly and without the need to ask for extra directions.

what3words is an easy way to identify precise locations. Every 3m square has been given a unique combination of three words: a what3words address. It helps people to find, share and navigate to precise locations using three simple words. For example ///filled.count.soap is the exact location of the entrance to what3words HQ.

This is especially useful when it comes to making deliveries because street addresses are often inaccurate and can be hard to find. Apartment blocks have multiple entrances, and in the countryside postcodes cover large areas. Delivery companies around the world are using what3words so that drivers can easily find delivery points, without the need to ask for extra directions. And to receive contact-free deliveries, more and more customers are providing the what3words address of their safe spot in ‘delivery notes’ at checkout.

At the same time, many emergency services are using what3words to respond to incidents efficiently. This gives callers a simple way to describe precisely where help is needed, enabling responders to find and get resources to the scene faster.

We’re glad to hear that the Czech Red Cross volunteers found our app useful during the lockdown, especially when it came to delivering in unfamiliar and rural areas. In a month, the team drove for 200 hours, travelling 9,800km to deliver 2,100 meals to emergency services stationed across the country. We are proud to have been a small part of their success.

Czech Red Cross team with wearing PPE equipment

To learn more about using what3words with your humanitarian group, delivery or emergency service, get in touch .