Notts Police roll out new 'What3Words' app to improve response times
A new app rolled out by Nottinghamshire Police could improve response times by giving areas a unique three word address.
The location technology which divides the world map into a grid of 3m x 3m squares will provide each area with a 'What3Words' address, making it easier for staff in the control room to respond more effectively to incidents.
After a successful pilot it is being rolled out to improve police response times and give callers a quick way to describe where help is needed and allow forces to get straight to the scene. For example, the three word address 'slate.season.metals', will take you to a precise spot next Nottingham city centre's Council House.
Paul Burrows, superintendent from Notts Police contact management department, said if someone does not know where they are at the time of an emergency, this wastes crucial police time that can be the difference between life and death.
"Now, in an emergency where a location is difficult to describe, callers are able to give their three word address from the what3words app. We are moving away from the old style questioning - ‘Where have you come from?’, ‘Where are you going?’, ‘What can you see?’
"These questions take time and aren’t always that accurate. Asking for a three word address has meant we have saved valuable time locating incidents. The control room staff that have used what3words for an emergency call, have said how easy it is, and they were able to find the location a lot quicker than they previously would have," he added.
The app is free to download on iOS and Android and works offline, making it ideal for areas with unreliable data connection. The three word address format is also consistent anywhere in the world and is available in 36 languages.
In an emergency situation, significant resources like helicopters may have to be dispatched to determine the location of an incident but with the What3Words app, control room staff can identify the precise location and direct services where required.
"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," said CEO of What3Words, Chris Sheldrick.
"Today people nearly always have their phone on them and we need to use the tools at our disposal to improve public services and potentially save lives. Just as you may have your in case of emergency contacts set up on your phone, we encourage everyone to download the app to make sure they are ready to quickly share accurate location information, should the worst happen."
Sheldrick said the app which is free and simple to use, may one day make sure you get the help you need, when you need it. He added: "We are continuing to work with emergency services across the country to get what3words enabled in their control rooms and to encourage the public to understand how to find and share their 3 word address so that they can be found quickly when they need it most.
"It’s been incredible to see UK police forces embrace technology to respond effectively and quickly to people in need."
The new initiative is thought to be particularly effective for emergencies in rural areas like farms, fields and wooded areas where is it often difficult to communicate a location without an address or point of reference nearby. And even in a city where the address is clear, a person in distress may be unable to identify their location - making the app very useful.
