Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service urges public to install free what3words app this long weekend

After a successful rollout period, Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service is once again urging the public to download the free what3words app before Victoria Day long weekend.

In an emergency, identifying precisely where help is needed is critical to getting resources to the scene quickly, however this can be challenging when callers are in remote or unfamiliar areas, without street addresses or on unnamed trails. In these moments, emergency services can waste precious time and resources just trying to locate the person in need of help.

Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service and Kawartha Lakes Police Service have both adopted what3words location technology.

Using a what3words address gives callers a simple way to describe precisely where help is needed and enables call takers to dispatch resources straight to the scene, saving precious minutes in an emergency.

How does the what3words app work?

what3words has divided the world into a grid of 10 foot squares and given each square a unique combination of three random words: a what3words address. For example, the front door at Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service headquarters in Lindsay is located at ///began.primed.seating. The app is free to download for both iOS and Android devices, and works offline, making it ideal for use in areas with an unreliable data connection, such as hiking trails and campsites. what3words can also be used via the online map on their website.

The technology is available in 54 languages, including Canadian French, and can be used anywhere in the world. The system does not store or track users’ location data, and there are no advertisements on the app or map. To date, what3words is available to over 50 emergency communication centres across Canada, with a presence in eight provinces and two territories.

Emergency services are trained to gather as much location information as possible from callers. Consequently, they have access to a number of different technologies and methods which help them to identify callers' locations – with what3words being one of them. While not intended as a replacement for the traditional 'must-pack' survival gear worth bringing along on all hikes and outdoor adventures, the technology has become a well-used partner to emergency services around the world, saving dispatchers and responders time and resources in an emergency.

For more information, and to download the app, please visit the what3words download page here.