Welcome! Below you'll find information about how what3words is being used by Emergency Control Rooms and First Responders in the UK.
To navigate this page with ease, click on the topic you’re interested in to go straight to the relevant section.
Contents
what3words has divided the world into a grid of 3m x 3m squares and given each square a unique 3 word address. For example, ///tower.defeat.land will take you to the top of Parliament Hill, Hampstead Heath, London.
The app is free to download for both iOS and Android devices, and works offline, making it ideal for use in areas with unreliable data connection, such as beaches, national parks and campsites. what3words can also be used via the online map at what3words.com. The technology is available in over 48 languages, including Welsh, and can be used anywhere in the world.
Over 85% of the UK’s emergency services are now using the system in the Control Room, and out in the field, to respond to incidents more effectively.
The app is free for the public to download for both iOS and Android devices, and works offline, making it ideal for use in areas with unreliable data connection, such as beaches, national parks and campsites. what3words can also be used via the online map at what3words.com. The technology is available in over 45 languages, including Welsh.
While not intended as a replacement for other location-sharing methods or formats, the technology has become a well-used tool in the toolbox for emergency services.
It has been used thousands of times to help respond to a broad range of different incidents; from rural road accidents, to locating missing children and rescuing multiple injured hikers. It is helping dispatchers and responders to save precious time and resources in an emergency.
what3words has been humbled by the feedback from emergency services up and down the country, who have been adopting the technology since 2018 - for everything from reporting fires and rescuing pets to locating callers mid-heart-attack with pinpoint accuracy.