If you have ever struggled to find somewhere or people have found it difficult to locate you then you may have tried out what3words. But if you are not familiar with what3words it is worth finding out more and downloading the app.
What is what3words?
What3words is an app that has revolutionised finding precise locations as they have divided the world up into three metre squares and each of these squares has a unique three word combination to identify it. The words were randomly selected and unique but are permanently allocated and won’t be changed.
How does it work?
You can search for your location and share the three words to help people to locate where you are, and they will type the three unique words into the app to find you. Or you can also search for a location using their maps on satellite view to find a precise location anywhere then select a three metre square with the three unique words and navigate to it.
The app integrates with Google maps and transfers the precise location into Google Maps so that you can use their navigation tools to get you there. You can also use the built-in navigation tools in what3words which is more suited to those searching on foot that are nearby the location.
So, what is it useful for?
The uses for what3words are quite broad as businesses are using it to help people find them or locations on their sites. Homes that are difficult to locate are using it so that parcels and visitors can locate them. People even use it to find their cars again after parking them.
But for us, one of the most important uses of what3words is how it can be used to get medical help to someone more quickly as the responders know an exact location. Emergency services around the world have adopted what3words to make it easier to locate people, especially in remote areas where there is little to pinpoint their location. This includes mountains, forests, national parks, rivers and at sea.
Tools like this can help services like ambulance crews, fire services, mountain rescue and lifeboat crews to efficiently find someone needing assistance without having to deploy as many people to search for them over a wider area. The speed of response can make the difference between life and death. It also helps preserve resources for the emergency services to handle other incidents as they can respond more efficiently.