How do I use what3words in an emergency?

1. Find the 3 word address for your current location on the free what3words app for iOS and Android. It works offline – ideal for areas with unreliable data connection.
2. Share your 3 word address over the phone to the call handler.
3. The emergency service can then coordinate a response directly to the exact location where help is needed.

What is what3words?

what3words has divided the globe into 3m squares and given each one a unique 3 word address. It means everywhere can be located with just three words. For example ///kite.chats.dine will take you to a precise spot in a field next to the River Ouse in York. what3words is available as a free app for iOS and Android and online map at map.what3words.com. You can find out more about what3words here.

Is my local service using what3words?

The 103 emergency services who have confirmed they are using and accepting 3 word addresses are:

Police

• Avon & Somerset Police
• Bedfordshire Police
• British Transport Police
• Cambridgeshire Police
• Cheshire Police
• Cleveland Police
• Cumbria Police
• Derbyshire Police
• Devon & Cornwall Police
• Dorset Police
• Durham Police
• Essex Police
• Gloucestershire Police
• Greater Manchester Police
• Guernsey Police
• Gwent Police
• Hampshire Police
• Hertfordshire Police
• Humberside Police
• Isle of Man Police
• Jersey Police
• Kent Police
• Lancashire Police
• Lincolnshire Police
• Merseyside Police
• The Metropolitan Police Service
• Norfolk Police
• Northamptonshire Police
• Nottinghamshire Police
• North Yorkshire Police
• North Wales Police
• Northumbria Police
• Police Scotland
• South Yorkshire Police
• South Wales Police
• Suffolk Police
• Surrey Police
• Sussex Police
• Thames Valley Police
• Warwickshire Police
• West Mercia Police
• West Yorkshire Police
• Wiltshire Police

Fire & rescue

• Avon Fire & Rescue
• Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue
• Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue
• Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue
• Cheshire Fire & Rescue
• Cleveland Fire & Rescue
• Cornwall Fire & Rescue
• Cumbria Fire & Rescue
• Derbyshire Fire & Rescue
• Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue
• Dorset & Wiltshire Fire & Rescue
• Durham & Darlington Fire & Rescue
• East Sussex Fire & Rescue
• Essex Fire & Rescue
• Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue
• Guernsey Fire & Rescue
• Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue
• Humberside Fire & Rescue
• Isle of Man Fire & Rescue
• Kent Fire & Rescue Service
• Lancashire Fire & Rescue
• Leicestershire Fire & Rescue
• Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue
• London Fire Brigade
• Merseyside Fire & Rescue
• Mid & West Wales Fire & Rescue
• Norfolk Fire & Rescue
• North Wales Fire & Rescue
• North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue
• Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue
• Northumberland Fire & Rescue
• Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue
• Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue
• Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue
• Scottish Fire & Rescue
• Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service
• South Wales Fire & Rescue
• South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue
• Staffordshire Fire & Rescue
• Suffolk Fire & Rescue
• Tyne and Wear Fire & Rescue
• Warwickshire Fire & Rescue
• West Midlands Fire & Rescue
• West Sussex Fire & Rescue
• West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue

Ambulance

• East Midlands Ambulance Service
• East of England Ambulance Service
• Isle of Man Ambulance Service
• Isle of Wight Ambulance
• London Ambulance Service
• National Ambulance Service Ireland
• North East Ambulance Service
• Northern Ireland Ambulance Service
• North West Ambulance Service
• Scottish Ambulance Service
• South East Coast Ambulance Service
• South Central Ambulance
• South Western Ambulance Service
• St John Emergency Ambulance Guernsey
• Welsh Ambulance Service
• West Midlands Ambulance Service
• Yorkshire Ambulance Service

Other Organisations

• UK Coastguard

If your local service isn’t on this list, you can reach out and ask them if they’ve heard of what3words. Remember: always gather as much location information as you can in an emergency in case 3 word addresses aren’t accepted.