SOUTH Yorkshire Police have introduced new location technology to enable their call handlers to find people who need assistance, but might not know where they are.
What3words is a system where call handlers can send a text including a link to the what3words browser site when a person is unsure of their location.
The peson who has made the call can then see their location, and read out the corresponding three words and from there police can be dispatched to the right place.
What3words also has an app, which if downloaded, means the caller can provide us with their location instantly.
The app works offline, so it’s ideal for use in rural areas with unreliable data connection.
Joe Harwood, Atlas Court Dispatcher, explains when what3words could be used: “Emergencies can happen anywhere, in the middle of the countryside, or in a confusing urban area that you can’t describe in any great detail. These are the scenarios when we can turn to what3words and save precious time.”
Chris Sheldrick, co-founder and CEO of what3words, added: "Being in need of urgent help and not being able to easily describe where you are can be very distressing for the person involved and a really difficult situation for emergency services.
"Today people nearly always have their phone on them. We need to use the tools at our disposal to improve public services and potentially save lives.”
