Emergency services urge the public to download what3words for a safer summer

Despite our notoriously unpredictable weather, 9 in 10 Brits are looking to enjoy the great outdoors, and nearly half (47%) are planning to explore new locations around the UK.

For ‘Know Exactly Where’ week which kicks off today, emergency services are raising awareness of the free what3words app as a simple way for the public to be prepared, helping them to save time and resources in emergency situations.

However, new research reveals that Brits aren’t adequately preparing.

The research, carried out by Opinion Matters on behalf of what3words, detailed how those from the West Midland are looking to explore new areas this summer, but found a staggering three quarters (77%) say they don’t check the traffic or roadworks beforehand, 70% do not research their destination in advance and less than a third (29%) make sure the address they are heading to is accurate.

Additionally, over half (51%) of the West Midland respondents said they would rely on their phone’s GPS to help find their way back if they got lost during outdoor activities, yet less than half (42%) make sure they have enough phone battery before heading out, and only a quarter (27%) pack a portable charger. This is cause for concern given 31% have got lost during an outdoor excursion before.

‘What’s the address of the emergency?’ is one of the first questions asked when calling 999, but describing where help is needed can be difficult and stressful, especially in unaddressed or unfamiliar areas. Emergency call takers cannot accept shared pins, and aren’t always able to automatically detect a caller’s exact location – although 43% of West Midland respondents assumed they could. The new research also highlighted that many would struggle to describe meeting points in forests (46%), on country roads (39%) and campgrounds (33%), which could lead to a delay in locating a caller when every minute matters.

what3words provides a solution, and has created a simple way to communicate very precise locations. It has divided the world into a grid of 3 metre squares, and given each square a unique identifier consisting of three words: a what3words address. This means that every viewpoint along a hiking trail, stadium entrance, picnic spot in the park and tent on a campground has its own what3words address. For example, ///rises.lock.eating marks the exact spot along the Botany Bay Beach Walking Trail in Kent, where visitors can cut through onto the beach surrounded by stunning cliffs often visited by tourists.

The app works offline, making it ideal for use in areas with an unreliable data connection, such as popular summer destinations like festivals, beaches, national parks and campsites. what3words is available in over 60 languages to date, including Welsh. It is free to download on iOS and Android, and can be accessed via the online map at what3words.com

what3words is also used by the AA to enable faster incident response, with hundreds of AA members using the technology to communicate the precise location of breakdowns every day. Chris Wood, AA Patrol of the Year, said: “With summer event season in full swing, downloading what3words can provide peace of mind in so many situations – whether you need to find your tent in a campsite, meet up with a friend at a busy festival, or your car breaks down on a road with no markers to describe your surroundings. Drivers can reduce the risk of a summer breakdown by preparing their car before travelling, including making sure you have enough fuel or electric charge, checking tyre conditions and pressure, and packing essentials like water in case there are delays.”

what3words’ innovative location technology is used by 85% of the UK’s emergency services – police, fire and ambulance – to help save time and resources when minutes matter most. Call handlers are trained to gather as much location information as possible to identify where to direct help quickly, including asking for the nearest road name, landmarks, a what3words address, and more. Beyond emergencies, people are also using what3words every day to meet up with friends at parks and beaches, to share the best running and hiking locations, and send meet-up spots to fellow fans at sports matches and large events like concerts and festivals.